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Another Petition to Ban Driven Grouse Shooting (1 Viewer)

The response includes this: "We have identified raptor persecution as a wildlife crime priority. Each wildlife crime priority has a delivery group to consider what action should be taken, and develop a plan to prevent crime, gather intelligence on offences and enforce against it. The Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG) focuses on the golden eagle, goshawk, hen harrier, peregrine, red kite and white-tailed eagle. The group is working on developing tools to help tackle raptor persecution crimes."

To make any progress at all then the "tools" absolutely must include measures to enable effective, independent monitoring. How you'd achieve this I'm not sure. Short of electronic tagging and 24/7 guards, I don't see how you could monitor the gamekeepers reliably. Some kind of independent wardening of the raptors themselves might not be out of the question though - but that would be expensive and the government wouldn't dream of making the estates pay for it.
 
Jack Dawe said:
To make any progress at all then the "tools" absolutely must include measures to enable effective, independent monitoring. How you'd achieve this I'm not sure. Short of electronic tagging and 24/7 guards, I don't see how you could monitor the gamekeepers reliably. Some kind of independent wardening of the raptors themselves might not be out of the question though - but that would be expensive and the government wouldn't dream of making the estates pay for it.
Click to expand...

At the very least large shooting estates should be licenced and part of that licence should be to permit all nests of threatened species to be covertly video monitored by RSPB et al (and thus making all video evidence admissible in court). Access to ornithologists etc to carry out monitoring work should be guaranteed as part of the licence. Vicarious liability to be introduced as a matter of urgency. General Licence restriction loopholes which allow estates to carry on as normal should be closed. Setting snares banned. Concealing your face (and thus identity) whilst armed should also be made a criminal offence. Serving wildlife crime officers should not be permitted to have direct involvement in game shooting. Public grants should be closely monitored and, if necessary and with due warning withdrawn on estates with a suspicious lack of raptors. The should be a presumption that publically funded satellite tagging data should be released promptly.
 
John Cantelo said:
At the very least large shooting estates should be licenced and part of that licence should be to permit all nests of threatened species to be covertly video monitored by RSPB et al (and thus making all video evidence admissible in court). Access to ornithologists etc to carry out monitoring work should be guaranteed as part of the licence. Vicarious liability to be introduced as a matter of urgency. General Licence restriction loopholes which allow estates to carry on as normal should be closed. Setting snares banned. Concealing your face (and thus identity) whilst armed should also be made a criminal offence. Serving wildlife crime officers should not be permitted to have direct involvement in game shooting. Public grants should be closely monitored and, if necessary and with due warning withdrawn on estates with a suspicious lack of raptors. The should be a presumption that publically funded satellite tagging data should be released promptly.
Click to expand...


Agree with all of this. Fancy a go at being my MP?
Mick
 
MTem said:
Agree with all of this. Fancy a go at being my MP?
Mick
Click to expand...

I somehow think I wouldn't stand much of a chance of being elected in Surrey, Mick. Then again a few months back who'd have thought I'd be typing this in the People's Republic of Canterbury ;) ? Fortunately, our new incumbent is fairly 'green' for a Labour MP.
 
John Cantelo said:
At the very least large shooting estates should be licenced and part of that licence should be to permit all nests of threatened species to be covertly video monitored by RSPB et al (and thus making all video evidence admissible in court). Access to ornithologists etc to carry out monitoring work should be guaranteed as part of the licence. Vicarious liability to be introduced as a matter of urgency. General Licence restriction loopholes which allow estates to carry on as normal should be closed. Setting snares banned. Concealing your face (and thus identity) whilst armed should also be made a criminal offence. Serving wildlife crime officers should not be permitted to have direct involvement in game shooting. Public grants should be closely monitored and, if necessary and with due warning withdrawn on estates with a suspicious lack of raptors. The should be a presumption that publically funded satellite tagging data should be released promptly.
Click to expand...

Great suggestions there, John.
 
Ummm, there is something at the back of my mind that recalls being told that as late as the 1950s there was an annual payment (tax? licence?) to the Inland Revenue for each of (i) using a coat of arms,(ii) employing a butler and(iii) employing a gamekeeper. Land that was shot over (exercise of sporting rights ) was subject to a rate payable to the local council.
 
Another petition just started that is closer to home for many birders.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/201682
The raising of pheasants for shooting probably accounts for huge numbers of Sparrowhawks, Buzzards and Kestrels annually, but these species are less iconic than Hen Harriers and Golden Eagles which are the primary target of grouse moor owners. Still a petition worth supporting, even if it only gets to the 10,000 mark for a response from HMG. It will send a message.
 
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