Wildlife Management (Grouse) Bill

Consultation Period: 26 October 2022 - 14 December 2022

Overview

A Stronger & More Resilient Scotland: The Programme for Government 2022-23 which was published on the 8 September 2022 committed to introducing the following Bill:

“Wildlife Management (Grouse)

The Bill will implement the recommendations of the “Werritty Review” and introduce licensing for grouse moor management to ensure that the management of driven grouse moors and related activities is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner. The Bill will also include provisions to ban glue traps.”

In November 2020, the Scottish Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Grouse Moor Management Group (“Werritty review”).  That report was commissioned by the Scottish Government in response to a report from NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage), published in May 2017, which found that around a third of satellite-tagged golden eagles in Scotland disappeared in suspicious circumstances, on or around grouse moors.

The Werritty review made over 40 recommendations regarding grouse moor management. The recommendations, which were accepted by the Scottish Government, sought to address raptor persecution and ensure that the management of grouse moors is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner.

As well as proposals relating to grouse moor management, the consultaiton also considered glue traps. A report from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, published on 23 March 2021 stated that

“…the animal welfare issues connected with the use of glue traps would justify an immediate outright ban on their sale and use. This is our preferred recommendation.”

The consultation sought views on the Scottish Government’s proposals on:

1. Grouse moor licensing
2. Muirburn
3. Trapping
   1. Wildlife Traps
   2. Glue Traps
   3. Snares

Read the original consultation paper