Minister clarifies recreational shooting can take place in Northern Ireland

BASC has received clarification that recreational shooting is permitted in Northern Ireland during the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Rough shooting, game shooting, deerstalking and wildfowling can take place on an individual basis, with members of your own household or your bubble, or with one person from another household.

BASC Northern Ireland director Tommy Mayne met the minister for Agriculture the Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots MLA yesterday.

Mr Mayne said: “We advised the minister that the coronavirus regulations and guidance had caused considerable confusion in relation to the continuation of recreational shooting during lockdown.

“BASC has since received written clarification from the Department of Health, via minister Poots’s office,  that recreational shooting – including rough shooting, game shooting, deerstalking and wildfowling – is permitted on an individual basis. BASC thanks the minister for providing much needed written clarification. 

“We also thank Patsy McGlone MLA, chair of the NI Assembly’s All Party Group on Country Sports for his considerable engagement with the various government departments, in order to get clarification, on behalf of our members.

“We also extend our sincere thanks to members for their patience and for adhering to the regulations throughout this extremely difficult time.

“BASC would remind its members that we all have a role to play in supporting the efforts of the Northern Ireland Executive in minimising the spread of COVID 19 and would ask that members continue to observe the regulations and guidance at all times.”