Not sure we are comparing Apples with Apples more current state v future required state if they ever sort it.
Below is a quote from the solicitors who brought the case. I'm not sure on what basis the requirement is for solely NE to be satisfied is, but that would seem to be the crux of it.
https://www.leighday.co.uk/News/2019...allenges-NaturThis condition states that before issuing these licences Natural England – and not any other body or person – has to be satisfied that there are no alternative solutions to killing wild birds. Natural England has not done that. It has instead told licence users that they must themselves decide whether alternative solutions are ineffective or impracticable.
Not sure we are comparing Apples with Apples more current state v future required state if they ever sort it.
Will it affect shooting a few for the pot, how would a likely accuser differentiate ? How many is too many to be just for personal consumption ?
John
Law of any kind only affects those willing to abide by it.
I hunt all pest species over two large farms, one arable and one livestock. From what I've read, it's yet to be confirmed, but it may be that pest control for protection of crops remains permissible? Anyway, out of the two farms I know the livestock farmer will be the most upset because corvids take a great deal of his feed and the carrion crows attack his lambs.
I live in town, but I'm fortunate to have a large garden with a lot of wildlife and although I zero my air rifles and target shoot in my garden, I don't shoot corvids or pigeons as they're not pests for me. Besides, I don't believe it would be justified under the terms of the GL. However, during the 25 years I've lived here, I have a seen a great decline in songbirds, many broken shells of stolen songbird eggs on my lawn and a great increase in corvids; no coincidence Sherlock.
My point is, blanket conservation can have a detrimental effect by strengthening the position of already dominant species and therefore wildlife management has its place.
NE seem to be required by law to ensure that they are satisfied other methods have been tried. If they don't do this, they are acting contrary to the law. Perhaps a petition to change the law is in order if people are unhappy with NE obeying the law...it might be a more positive step than some petitions out there which are asking for Packham to be sacked from the BBC (ignoring the fact that he isn't legally employed by them, but effectively a self-employed contractor).
From a friend
Interesting and detailed response from Richard Benyon MP:
This issue came about as the result of a legal challenge and as such there is no flexibility other than to suspend the GL. It (the GL) stems from the days of MAFF when there was apparently a requirement to do a regular assessment of the need for a GL. Defra handed the duty over to NE six years ago and it appears that some crucial paperwork did not find its way there, and it has created a loop hole that has been exploited by anti-shooting campaigners.
NE intend to continue with the GL as soon as possible but crucially most species WILL be able to be legally controlled within a few days.
On Thursday there will be a simple form to fill in available on the NE website from the moment the GL falls, to apply for and quickly receive legal authority to control a number of the 16 species covered by the GL. NE will prioritise pigeons (damage to crops) and next will be corvids. There will be three categories under which people can apply. These will be a) damage to livestock (including game), b) public health and safety and, c) conservation.
This is a temporary fix. A new GL will be issued in time but will require the usual processes including consultation.
She said that the campaigners are very keen to expose law breaking so urged all parties to follow the simple process they are putting in place and to remain within the law.
We are expecting further information to come from Natural England and DEFRA over the next few days and as soon as we have something, I will pass it on to you.
With best wishes
Yours sincerely
Michele De Angeli
PA to The Rt Hon Richard Benyon MP
Thanks for looking
As I say hopefully this backfires and it becomes easier for everyone to lethally control pest species, even you guys with air guns
Thanks for looking
All BBC reporters are, so the bbc can distance themselves at any given point if needs be, hopefully the petition will cause them to do just that and he will then only have social media to grind his axe on, being on the BBC gives him credibility to the less well educated out there.
Thanks for looking
Good deals with these members
I think it is actually more to do with tax and NI. There was a time on here when the self-employed were virtual gods Actually, we should punish people who (it seems) take action to reveal that Government Agencies are (seemingly, possibly inadvertently) operating outside UK law