It was hoped that amendments tabled on behalf of the SGA by Edward Mountain MSP to have proposed new 6ZB powers removed from the Bill would secure agreement. Read more here:
However, the amendment (its intention also backed by the rest of the deer sector) was voted down by Rural Affairs Committee members and NatureScot will now have new sanctions to intervene in deer management on the basis of ‘nature restoration’.
'Destabilising'
Mr Mountain argued, echoing the SGA’s briefing, that the new 6ZB sanction would destabilise the voluntary sector which accounts for 80% of Scotland’s annual cull.
Minister Jim Fairlie urged the committee to reject the argument, though, attempting to assure deer managers and MSPs that the new power would only apply after attempts at voluntary resolution had failed.
The Minister pointed out that only 1 statutory order had been taken forward to date and emphasised that the new power would be used proportionately where landowners were ‘refusing to engage in the voluntary process.’
He pointed to deliberations by past Committees which opined that NatureScot did not currently have the suite of powers required to bring about restoration, a point the SGA Deer Group disagree with.
The SGA Deer Group will now seek further talks with the Minister and officials ahead of Stage 3 in a bit to table amendments to the final Bill, to safeguard members’ interests.
