Reaction: Scottish Grouse Bill will damage the countryside, says BASC

Reaction: Scottish Grouse Bill will damage the countryside, says BASC - British Association for Shooting and Conservation

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has warned the Scottish government of the “ruinous” impact the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill will inflict on the country’s biodiversity and rural economy.

BASC Scotland has warned that the rural community will be picking up the pieces for years to come after the bill passed in the Scottish Parliament today. Due to receive Royal Assent in the coming months, the bill imposes licensing schemes for grouse shooting, muirburn and certain traps.

Throughout the passage of the legislation, BASC has lobbied MSPs for the required changes, and were successful in securing substantial movement on the bill, such as the removal of disproportionate suspension powers which contravened the European Convention on Human Rights.

BASC Scotland Director Peter Clark said: “BASC has made substantial progress in mitigating the worst effects of the draft bill. Unfortunately, not all of these changes were adopted, despite the fact that these changes were informed by the collective expertise of those on the ground who protect our natural environment. So it is vitally important that we look at the proportionality and validity of the final format of the bill. We believe the final draft still poses a risk to sustainable grouse moor management, predator control and muirburn and will be ruinous to the rural economy and the species that gamekeepers work to protect.”