Clarification of conditions attached to the shooting of pest bird species, such as pigeons and crows, has been welcomed by Britain's biggest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
DEFRA has changed the wording on the open general licences which permit the shooting of pest birds for specific reasons such as the protection of crops. A clause referring to non-lethal alternatives had resulted in widespread confusion because it was open to misinterpretation.
The wording has now been changed to make it plain that an individual who is shooting under the terms of the licence need only be “satisfied” that scaring birds away would be impracticable or ineffective.
BASC spokesman Simon Clarke said “
This is a welcome adjustment of the wording of the general licences. It should end the confusion which has surrounded the practice of bird pest control in England since the revised licences came into force on the 1st of March. Unhelpful press speculation has given the impression that shooting for pest control was “effectively banned
”. It is not. Shooters can continue to perform this essential role in the countryside.”
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DEFRA General Licence - Clarification
