There’s a good opinion piece in the Press & Journal today by Max Wiszniewski, Campaign Manager for REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform.
It’s reproduced below:
The systematic, illegal persecution of birds of prey has been a blight in Scotland’s countryside now for decades, so much so that it was described by former first minister, Donald Dewar, as a “national disgrace”.
So, the recent publication of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, with the primary purpose of tackling wildlife crime, is something to be welcomed.
Yet, on the same day that our new first minister was sworn into office, news broke that another bird of prey – this time a red kite – had been found dead on a grouse moor [Ed: see here]. The shooting industry is laughing in the face of the legislation it will be fighting tooth and nail to oppose.
The new bill proposes to licence the shooting of grouse. If the terms of that licence are broken – such as a licence holder indulging in wildlife crime – then it can be removed.
So far, it seems sensible. But, beyond the illegal destruction of our protected species, hundreds of thousands of foxes, stoats, weasels, crows and so-called “non-target species” like hedgehogs are killed on grouse estates every year, so more grouse can be shot for sport.
Will this unsustainable practice be addressed by the new bill? The answer is: somewhat.
All legal traps will require a “licence”, serial numbers and, presumably, regular checking. Scottish Government oversight of the monitoring of the many thousands of traps on grouse moors to ensure legality will be no easy feat, and it would be expensive to do effectively. Should we be jumping through hoops just so a few people can shoot more grouse for sport?
Bill is an important intervention that should go further
Some big changes in muirburn could be brought about, though. On grouse moors, burning heather shapes the landscape to make it more suitable for grouse – so more of them can be shot.
About 40% of muirburn for grouse has taken place on deep peat, which is an internationally important carbon sequestration resource. Much of it lies in a degraded state on grouse moors, and continued burning is stopping it from regenerating and from rewetting and, therefore, actually emits carbon.
The Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill proposes an effective ban on peatland burning but, once again, effective monitoring of huge land areas will be difficult and expensive.
Muirburn may still continue under licence in areas with no deep-peat, but should we be dishing out licences when the purpose is increasing grouse numbers for sport shooting? Scotland shouldn’t be pandering to the needs of this cruel, unsustainable and intensively managed industry.
By creating a circle of destruction around huge areas of our land, biodiversity and more diverse economic opportunities are missed for Scottish people and communities.
Overall, this bill as it stands is an important intervention. With a bit more courage to take on large estates and landed interests, it could become the very intervention Scotland’s people, wildlife and environment desperately need.
ENDS
Raptor Persecution UK 
I wholeheartedly agree. No matter what legislation is passed it must be both interpreted and enforced and, sadly, if it suffers the same fate as similar measures have previously, then by the time it emerges at the other end it will be unfit for purpose.
What can be done? Not much — UNLESS — those taking part in the process show a little backbone and simply stop co-operating with those seeking to undermine the spirit of it. However, this has not happened previosuly, be it with foxhunting or raptor persecution and it’s difficult to imagine it happening now.
We need fifth columnists inside their ranks to blow the whistle and others of standing with the courage to carry it on through the media.
However we have neither stick nor carrot and are forced to rely on the internal courage of convicion and the willingness to put oneself under stress doe the simply pleasure one feels of doing what is right in the face of adversity.
Any takers? ;)
Great article – and he nails it. The legal slaughter of our indigenous predatory species is unsustainable and unacceptable, just to ensure the sick, rich clique have enough grouse to satisfy their blood lust.
As for the slaughter of Mountain Hares to “control ticks”, don’t get me started!
Simon Tucker – -control ticks, you say
https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/scientific-publications/1990-99/1998/kurtenbach1998a/
Max Wiszniewski is absolutely on the money. Literally.
Because the grouse shoots won’t obey the law, public money is going to be spent on setting up a licensing system that if it is to be effective will require enforcement. This at a time when we can all see that there are going to be pressures on public expenditure.
By all means give licensing a chance, but as Mark Avery, who has the scars to prove it, knows better than anyone, the shooting industry has form. Mr Avery says that it would be a lot simpler just to ban driven shooting in the uplands and I am willing to believe that he is right. An outright ban wouldn’t stop hunters who are prepared to work for a successful kill, and it would be far cheaper to enforce. This medieval relic has to go.
Very positive to see some “legislative progress” in Bonnie Scotland; however, I well recall being involved in this debate way back in 1980s – as a member of ClydesideHSA I & comrades were invited by Renfrewshire Bird Recorder (Iain Gibson – anyone still have his contact details?) to rota guards on Peregrine sites – it was clear then, and is crystal clear now, comprehensively explained by Mark Avery’s “Inglorious”, that the only logical & effective solution is a complete ban on DGS. Of course, I’d go significantly further and campaign for an end to ALL bird shooting bloodsports. There is no reason whatsoever to kill for “fun” ; worse, it’s a grotesque indictment on “our” callous contempt for nature, wildlife & environment. We don’t have time for more discussion or “piece-meal” legislation – please, let’s keep campaigning for re-wilding which is underpinned by a complete BAN on killing for “fun”. Very well done to everyone who has so painstakingly (often in very frustrating circumstances!) gathered so much important evidence against those inherent liars of the bird shooting industry.
Here’s to much more significant progress after the next General Election (and via an Independent Scotland!?) Please also remember, ALL campaigns are Political – how could they possibly be anything else!? #BanBirdShootingBloodsportsNOW