Official call for evidence on gamebird releases in Wales

Gamebird releasing in Wales is under scrutiny. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has called for evidence into the way gamebirds are released into the Welsh countryside.

The initiative follows a similar announcement in England, reported in the news pages of Sporting Gun last month, and has come at the behest of the Welsh government, which has asked NRW to consider options for regulating the activity.

Nadia DeLonghi, head of regulation and permitting at NRW, said that the call for evidence would concentrate on, “the number of gamebirds released, where they are released and their impact on the environment. We also want evidence of the positive impacts of management activities associated with game shooting.”

Currently, the NRW only regulates the release of gamebirds within the boundaries of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

However, Steve Griffiths, BASC Wales director, said gamebird releasing was already well-regulated in Wales and the move was, “yet another politically motivated attempt to restrict shooting through red tape”. He said that BASC would, “submit evidence supporting sustainable gamebird releasing in Wales”.

Ms DeLonghi added that the NRW would be consulting on its findings and: “Once we’ve had time to consider the evidence, the next step for us will be to consider how best to manage any ecological risks without disproportionately compromising the environmental, social, and economic benefits provided by game shooting.”

Meanwhile, the RSPB has called for a moratorium on gamebird releases in toto. It cited the spread of avian influenza as the reason. Government wildlife advisers have dismissed the call and said there were enough stringent measures in place. Glynn Evans, BASC head of game and gundogs, pointed out that bird flu was prevalent in wild birds, not captive gamebirds.