Fury as Labour ministers ban pheasant shoots on public land
Licence requests rejected as Welsh government is accused of ‘pandering’ to animal rights extremists
‘Millions of pounds are at risk on the say-so of a minister who allowed extremism to triumph’
PHEASANT shooting will be banned on public land in Wales, it was announced last night, as Labour ministers were accused of “pandering” to animal rights extremists.
From next March, requests to renew shooting licences on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate (WGWE) will be rejected, despite an expert review concluding the sport should continue.
The decision comes in spite of official warnings by civil servants that Natural Resources Wales, which manages the land, faced “reputational risk” for acting against scientific evidence.
Countryside groups said the move would damage the rural economy and environment, as well as threatening the future of game shooting in the UK.
Yesterday’s announcement means that no further licences to shoot on the WGWE will be granted and current licences will not be renewed when the expire at the end of the season.
In addition, when birds from private estates settle on the publicly-owned areas, beaters will be banned from accessing the woods to flush them out.
Earlier this year, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) launched a consultation ahead of a wide-scale review, which concluded that licensing for shoots on the public estate would continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
However, Hannah Blythyn, the Welsh Government’s environment minister, made clear her opposition to shooting, which forced the quango to alter course.
It followed a petition to ban the practice that the League Against Cruel Sports said attracted 12,500 signatures.
The majority of shooting in Wales and the UK takes place on private land, meaning an Act of Parliament would be required to curtail the sport.
Garry Doolan, spokesman for the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, said: “Hannah Blythyn has pandered to animal rights extremists and has then imposed their position onto NRW, contrary to the evidence produced by a comprehensive review and public consultation.”
While, according to Ms Blythyn, the Welsh Government is opposed to pheasant shooting for “ethical” reasons, the 2017 Labour manifesto was silent on the issue. However, the party pledged to maintain bans on hunting foxes and deer, and hare coursing.
The NRW’S decision last night follows Labour-run Bradford council’s decision in January not to renew a 10year grouse shooting lease on Ickley moor, the last-council-owned moor in the country on which grouse shooting had been permitted.
“Shooting is worth £75 million annually, it invests £7.4million in the maintenance and enhancement of natural resources and supports the equivalent of 2,400 jobs,” said Mr Doolan. “BASC believes that is now at risk on the sayso of a minister who allowed extremism to triumph over evidence.”
Madeleine Harvard, NRW’S acting chairman, said: “We want to make the most of the land we manage for the people in Wales. We have taken the time to review all the information provided by a wide a range of stakeholders.”