Welsh government to ban the use of snares

Removing snares from gamekeepers’ toolkits will have a catastrophic impact on Wales’s already struggling ground-nesting bird populations

The Welsh government is to introduce a ban on the use of snares as part of the Welsh Agriculture Bill, despite warnings it will be disastrous for wildlife.

Announcing the publication of the bill, Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs, said it “sets out how Wales will be the first country in the UK to introduce a complete ban on the use of snares and glue traps. These devices catch animals indiscriminately, causing a great deal of suffering, and they are not compatible with the high animal welfare standards we strive for here in Wales. A complete ban is the only way forward.”

Wales has seen a significant decline in numbers of ground-nesting birds in recent years, with curlew particularly badly affected. Despite the proven value of predator management, the Welsh government has been increasingly limiting the options available to the country’s pest controllers and gamekeepers.

Welsh keeper Geraint Jones hit out at the decision, which he claimed contradicted the evidence. Mr Jones said: “I think there are a lot of personal decisions made rather than decisions that reflect the people they represent.”

One Welsh farmer, identified simply as David, said: “I will give up helping curlew and lapwings. I’m not prepared to be out with a rifle every possible night. Properly placed snares, set under the code of conduct, are as humane as any other method of fox control. Those using illegal snares won’t take any notice.”

As recently as 2015, the Welsh government agreed a new code of practice for the use of snares to control foxes. The code was agreed by a range of groups, including the League Against Cruel Sports. However, since 2018, ministers have stopped meeting with countryside and gamekeeping organisations.

BASC Wales director Steve Griffiths said: “BASC remains opposed to a full ban. The latest modern snare designs, also known as humane cable restraints, when used as referenced in the Welsh government’s code of best practice, meet international standards.

“BASC has proposed a solution of legislating against the use of non-code compliant snares while allowing the continued use of humane restraining devices alongside regulated training measures.”

SAID WHAT

Snares have been a vital tool in the fight to save the curlew and other endangered ground nesters

Properly placed, codecompliant snares are a humane method of control