In a response to a written question asked by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative MP for The Cotswolds and chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Shooting and Conservation, a Defra spokeswoman confirmed that it will not cave to Wild Justice's demand that gamebird release should be regulated before Summer 2020, before shoots begin to be released for the 2020/21 shooting season.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP
In response to a written question by Sir Geoffrey's question regarding timescales, Defra Minister Rebecca Pow said "it is not in its [Defra’s] view reasonable nor realistic to expect measures to be implemented before summer/autumn 2020".
Wild Justice attempt to have release of pheasants banned
A letter sent by Wild Justice, the anti-shooting campaign group headed by Mark Avery, Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay, demanded that the Secretary of State should provide the timetable and terms of reference for a legislative review on the release of non-native gamebirds, specifically pheasants and red-legged partridge, and confirm that the Secretary of State will proscribe or regulate gamebird releases within 5km of any Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation before gamebird releases commence in Summer 2020 ahead of the shooting season.
[Read about Wild Justice's 2019 attempt to ban pigeon shooting]
Defra confirmed that a review is underway, and that further details will be released in the coming weeks, but that the results will not be implemented ahead of the season.
Chris Packham and Wild Justice have been knocked back by Defra [Image Jo Garbutt
BASC welcome Defra announcement on release of gamebirds
Caroline Bedell, BASC’s executive director of conservation, said: “BASC has been raising its concerns at the highest levels of government and we are delighted that Defra will not be bullied by threats of legal action into a knee-jerk ban on the release of game birds across almost half of England." She added: “As many shoots are already in the planning stages for next season the news is reassuring that there is no immediate threat ahead whilst the review is undertaken. The rearing and releasing of game birds provides a massive net gain for biodiversity in the British countryside. It is vital Defra ensures that all the evidence is considered when identifying a suitable way forward."
[View the most popular shoots of 2019/20]
So while it appears that the 2020/21 shooting season will not be affected by Wild Justice's latest attack on the shooting community, it remains to be seen what the Defra review will conclude with regard to the regulation of game bird releases.
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