Welsh political shooting and conservation group holds first meeting

The Welsh Senedd Cross-party Group on Shooting and Conservation recently met in person for the first time to discuss a variety of topics impacting shooting.

Samuel Kurtz, MS for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs and Welsh Language, chaired the meeting that was attended by Conservative and Plaid Cymru Senedd Members.

The meeting included talks from experts and wildlife management and the sale of wild game meat.

Ian Danby, BASC head of biodiversity, highlighted BASC’s curlew recovery work to the group and our involvement in Gylfinir Cymru, a partnership of 18 organisations committed to curlew recovery in Wales.

During his talk, Ian stressed that effective predator management for curlew requires the suite of generalist predators to be controlled. 

However, the Welsh Government’s plan to ban the use of snares in Wales and Natural Resources Wales’s recent decision to remove magpies, jays and jackdaws from the conservation general licence sits contrary to this. Both of these positions will impact on curlew breeding success.

Liam Stokes, CEO of British Game Assurance, also spoke to the group to explain how the organisation recently helped secure the supply of game meat in six hospitals in England. He provided a useful overview of the process and noted the positive feedback they have had from patients.

BASC acts as secretariat for the group and will be hosting the next meeting at the Royal Welsh Show.

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