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The vast majority of respondents rejected the proposed abolition of a close season for deer.
By Barnaby Dracup
Friday, 05 March 2010
Deer stalking: More than 8 out of 10 respondents to the Scottish Government’s consultation on proposals to reform existing wildlife laws have rejected the controversial proposal to legalise shooting male deer all year round.
Scottish ministers commissioned EnviroCentre Ltd and CAG Consultants Ltd to analyse the 456 consultation responses they received last year on the proposed Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill.
The results show strong support for abolishing the game licence, but not for introducing mandatory testing of deerstalkers.
BASC Scotland’s press and policy officer, Nicolle Upton, said: “It came as no surprise when the analysis showed the majority of respondents were in favour of retaining close seasons as they are. We need to remind ourselves that the seasons were only going to be changed if and when all stalkers were required to ‘demonstrate skills and knowledge’.”
Ms Upton added: “The analysis showed that the proposal to introduce mandatory testing of stalkers was supported by 47.8% of respondents, rejected by 49.2% and 3% had issues or concerns. Only 23.35% of respondents supported the establishment of a register of qualified stalkers. From BASC Scotland’s perspective this is where the main issue is. We remain committed to voluntary training and best practice, but opposed to mandatory testing.”
Chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), Alex Hogg, said: “I’ve just spent a couple of hours reading the analysis and I am feeling encouraged that the strong views submitted by the SGA have been supported by so many other organisations and individuals.”
“I am delighted, for instance, that the most contentious proposals for changes to the management of male deer, in particular on the abolition of close seasons, were overwhelmingly rejected by the majority of respondents. It does not necessarily mean the government will listen, though we will be doing all we can to influence the Scottish environment minister Roseanna Cunningham when she addresses our Annual General Meeting in Perth on 5 March.”
However, the chief executive of the Scottish Rural Property & Business Association, Douglas McAdam, commented the research was not an entirely accurate portrayal of the responses: “We hope that government, in drafting the Bill, takes on board the views of the many practitioners who have expressed their strong opinions on the questions asked. That said, we have serious reservations about the methodology used to analyse the consultation responses and do not believe that the analysis consensus conclusions accurately reflect the full responses received. Remember that the report was prepared by an independent research company for the Scottish Government and is not in itself a government document.”
The next stage is for the Scottish Government to now amend the proposals contained in the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill on the basis of stakeholders’ views.
This should happen in the next few months.
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