License grouse moors to save hen harriers

Sir, – I find MSP Mairi Gougeon’s call (The Courier, December 28) for co-operation between conservationists and those representing Driven Grouse Moors (DGMS) well-intentioned but inevitably selfdefeating.

The persecution of all birds of prey has been a criminal offence since 1954. However, it still continues 63 years later, and the majority of those convicted of such crimes are gamekeepers.

Many feel this recent push by DGMS for a joint approach to the problem is simply part of a strategy to derail the current move towards their licensing.

Such schemes have been tried before, as in the Ladder Hills (1998), and failed.

Any such scheme would require organisation, implementation and finally analysis, which would take some time.

This would simply drive the move towards licensing into the long grass and suit only the DGM lobby while frustrating the efforts of conservationists.

In the past year alone, local DGMS have been found to deploy gas guns, inflatable scarecrows with sirens and ignite banger ropes at the onset of the breeding season, apparently to deter nesting. The continuation of activities such as these do not signal a willingness to end raptor persecution.

In these circumstances I would ask MSP Mairi Gougeon to simply press for the licensing of DGMS. Any estate which remains within the law will have no reason to worry, while any who continue to break it will suffer the consequences.

Either way, hen harriers will be the main beneficiaries. George Murdoch. 4 Auchcairnie, Cottages, Laurencekirk.

A hen harrier with a tag – a record number of hen harrier chicks were tagged this year.