Powys meeting raises fears of 'catastrophic' game shooting restrictions

Members of Parliament and the Senedd joined more than 100 gamekeepers, business owners and Powys residents to hear from a coalition of shooting organisations on the issue.

Representatives from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, Countryside Alliance, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and National Gamekeepers’ Organisation spoke of the damage that could be caused to conservation, the local economy and rural communities through restricting shooting.

The proposals put forward by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in a 12-week consultation seek to introduce a licensing system for the release of pheasants and red-legged partridge in Wales.

In the audience at a packed Llangedwyn Village Hall were Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister; Russell George, MS for Montgomeryshire; and Simon Baynes, MP for Clwyd South.

The meeting’s organiser, Dan Munford, said: “There are significant concerns in the local area of the job losses and economic damage from a restriction in shooting. We wanted to invite the key stakeholders to speak to the local politicians and community to ensure the potential consequences are recognised and acknowledged.”

Representatives from each shooting organisation spoke of the importance of responding to the consultation and having the voices on the ground heard.

A spokesperson for the shooting organisations said: “The NRW consultation is the biggest threat to shooting that Wales has seen to date. It is essential to respond to this if you are involved either directly or indirectly with shooting in Wales.

“It was great to get in front of a packed hall and speak to those who would be affected the most should the Welsh Government ban the releasing of game birds in Wales. It will be catastrophic for rural communities across Wales both in terms of conservation and the economy and, of course, people’s health and wellbeing.”

Natural Resources Wales said it is considering options for regulating gamebird releases in Wales.

Currently, the release of gamebirds within a boundary of a Site of Special Scientific Interest usually need consent from NRW. However, outside those boundaries, there is little regulation or monitoring of their effect.

NRW has assessed the evidence, including information submitted from a call for evidence, and is now inviting people to have their say on proposed plans for a future licensing regime.

Nadia DeLonghi, NRW’s head of regulation & permitting, said: “Our aim is to develop an option for Wales that is both proportionate and workable. Today we are opening a 12-week consultation on our preferred option for regulating the release of gamebird in Wales, specifically for Common Pheasant and Red-Legged Partridge.

“We’ve used the available evidence to consider how best to manage any ecological impacts of gamebird releases without disproportionately compromising the environmental, social, and economic benefits provided by game shooting.

“This is not about stopping gamebird release – but to identify any risks and find solutions that balance the needs of all stakeholders and the environment itself.

“We want to hear your views on our proposals – and we encourage people to have their say.”

The online consultation is open until June 20 and is available at ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/evidence-policy-and-permitting-tystiolaeth-polisi-a-thrwyddedu/nrw-s-proposed-approach-to-regulating-the-release/.