Licensing row as grouse shooting season begins

The annual grouse shooting season is getting under way with land owners and climate campaigners divided over proposals for a licensing scheme.

The Scottish government said it wants to minimise the impact of grouse moors through new legislation at Holyrood.

Campaigners warn grouse moors have "huge environmental costs".

But land owners said the Glorious 12th, one of the busiest days of the shooting season, is at risk from the "excessive" regulations being considered by MSPs.

The government introduced the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill earlier this year.

It is currently being considered by committees at stage one of its journey through parliament. The legislation seeks to implement recommendations for increased grouse moor management and trap regulation as set out in the Werritty review in December 2019

If passed by MSPs, a licence would be required to kill red grouse and inspectors would be given increased powers to investigate suspected wildlife crime.

It would also introduce stricter rules on muirburn, the practice of using fire as a land management tool.

As shooters gathered for the official opening of the season on Saturday, Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) called for the government to amend its bill.

It said the game and country sports sector was worth more than £350m to the economy and supported 11,000 jobs.

Ross Ewing, SLE's director of moorland, said: "Sustainable grouse moor management provides a huge boost to the economy, bringing visitors to rural areas from August to December and providing revenue which underpins rural jobs year-round."

He described the Scottish government scheme as "excessively disproportionate" because he said it would allow NatureScot to suspend a licence when an investigation started "without being satisfied that any relevant offence has been committed".

Mr Ewing argued that grouse moors provide environmental benefits through carbon capture, peatland restoration and wildfire prevention.

He added: "Sustainable grouse moor management provides remarkable conservation benefits, particularly for ground-nesting birds, birds of prey, rare moorland plants and pollinators.

"The uplands are home to specialist species that benefit enormously from land management for red grouse."

However, climate campaigners Extinction Rebellion said they would hold a protest on the "inglorious 12th" at Dundee Airport, which is near several large hunting estates.

The group said grouse moor management had "huge environmental costs", including the burning of heather and the culling of other species.

The Scottish Greens said the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill was a key pillar of the Bute House Agreement, the party's power-sharing deal with the SNP at Holyrood.

Ariane Burgess, the party's rural affairs spokeswoman, described the Glorious 12th as "a festival of violence" and a "cruel and outdated hobby".

She said the new government measures were necessary following incidents of illegal persecution of birds of prey, such as golden eagles, in grouse moor areas.

"The intensive burning and degradation of our landscapes to try and improve the habitat for red grouse, so that there are more of them to be shot, is unnecessary and damages the local environment and our climate," Ms Burgess added.

"Our world renowned landscapes and nature are for all of us. They must serve local communities, rather than the interests of the small number of wealthy people who pursue these niche and elitist blood sports."

The Scottish government said it had carefully considered the implications of its proposals.

Environment Minister Gillian Martin said: "The provisions in the bill provide for a practical, proportionate and targeted licensing regime which will support those carrying out activities appropriately and in line with the law, and will have consequences for those that don't."