Unease over Welsh rumours

BASC has said clarification is needed from the Welsh government as to its stance on shooting and conservation.

Rumours have been circulating as to the government’s intentions with regard to fieldsports, with concerns that many country sports will be banned in the country by 2024.

Samuel Kurtz, Senedd member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, and chairman of the cross-party group on shooting and conservation, has sought assurances from the government following a series of social media posts that have fuelled the rumours.

He said: “Shooting and conservation activities bring considerable economic benefit to rural communities throughout Wales and rumours such as these have a damaging impact on businesses and livelihoods.” He said he looked forward to hearing from the minister concerned that banning shooting was not Welsh government policy.

Concern has been exacerbated by the Natural Resources Wales decision to remove magpies, jays and jackdaws from the general licence for conservation, GLOO4, when it is reissued in July, as well as shorten the time licence users can control carrion crows.

The change has drawn a rebuke from BASC, which said it was “a deeply damaging move for conservation in Wales” that would threaten the future of species such as the curlew, whose numbers are of concern in the country, which are predated upon by members of the corvid family.