Ten years of dogged campaigning by the SGA finally paid off this month when Scottish Natural Heritage announced new guidance which will help gamekeepers and other land managers apply for licences to control protected predators.
The announcement of the hard-won guidance was warmly welcomed by SGA chairman Alex Hogg who refused to let the issue rest even when it appeared that a stalemate had been reached.
“We are absolutely delighted that SNH has finally realised the need for positive management of protected species and worked alongside the industry to achieve a result,” he said. “We now have clear guidance on how to apply for a licence to control species such as buzzards and ravens. We know the sort of evidence that will be required and now it’s up to us to make sure we use the measures when necessary.”
SNH will still need to be satisfied that a cause and effect link exists between predation and significant declines in the population of wild birds such as upland waders and black grouse, and applicants will need to make a solid case for the need to control protected species.
Welcoming the new licensing guidance Ron Macdonald, SNH’s head of policy and advice, said: “SNH recognises that some predatory species can affect populations of wild birds. Where these are directly responsible for key declines in wild bird populations, and where there is a real conservation need to do so, we accept that predators may need to be managed or controlled under licence.
“Predators are a vital component of any ecosystem. However in some cases, for example when a population of a rare wild bird species is already vulnerable or in decline, high levels of predation could be a real concern. The law in relation to control and management of predators has not changed. The aim of this guidance is to make it clear to potential applicants the circumstances under which licences can be granted for conservation purposes, and what type of evidence is required to support this.”
The new guidance can be found at http://www.snh.org.uk/licences/li-advguide.asp