{"id":239686,"date":"2025-11-02T14:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/239686\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T14:00:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T14:00:23","slug":"shooting-body-raises-significant-concerns-over-natural-environment-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/239686\/","title":{"rendered":"Shooting body raises \u2018significant concerns\u2019 over Natural Environment Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

Britain\u2019s largest shooting body insists it has \u201csignificant concerns\u201d about the impact new legislation that aims to protect Scotland\u2019s natural environment will have on deer management.<\/p>\n

The Scottish Government insists the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill is needed to help prevent species decline and deliver \u201clasting outcomes for nature\u201d.<\/p>\n

But with the legislation also proposing reforms to the way that deer are managed the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) warned of \u201cincreasing pressure to deliver higher culls\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"ClimatePA MediaClimate Action Secretary Gillian Martin insists \u2018urgent action\u2019 is needed to protect Scotland\u2019s natural environment (Andrew Milligan\/PA). PA Media<\/p>\n

The Scottish Government wants to see an additional 50,000 deer a year being culled \u2013 representing a 25% increase on current levels \u2013 in order to deliver what it describes as a \u201cclear and sustained reduction in Scotland\u2019s deer population from the current one million deer\u201d.<\/p>\n

BASC Scotland director Peter Clark said: \u201cThe Scottish Government claims the Bill will modernise deer management to tackle the climate and nature crises.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, we have significant concerns that the Bill adds unnecessary bureaucracy without clear criteria for measuring success and without significant financial incentivisation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Clark added: \u201cOur members risk being placed under increasing pressure to deliver higher culls without clear criteria of what the expected outcome should be.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin warned that without \u201curgent action\u201d nature in Scotland could \u201ccontinue to decline\u201d.<\/p>\n

And she vowed to work with all relevant bodies to ensure this \u201cvital piece of legislation succeeds in achieving its ambition to protect Scotland\u2019s natural environment\u201d.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udce3 Why the Natural Environment Bill must be fixed<\/p>\n

The Bill proposes substantial changes to deer management, including increased regulatory intervention with little detail on financial incentives for deer managers.<\/p>\n

Read more here for BASC’s views:https:\/\/t.co\/LFn09icvrs<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3Re2O9d9g7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BASC Scotland (@BASCScotland) March 3, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

Her comments came before the first Holyrood vote on the legislation, which would place a new duty on Scottish ministers to set legally binding targets for nature restoration.<\/p>\n

In addition it also aims to modernise the powers of the authorities in charge of Scotland\u2019s national parks.<\/p>\n

Speaking before Thursday\u2019s debate in Parliament, Ms Martin said: \u201cIn Scotland one in nine species is threatened with extinction and there has been an average 15% decline in species abundance since 1994.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t take urgent action nature in Scotland will continue to decline and important species will be lost forever.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why this Bill is necessary to ensure that we continue to develop, support and deliver the lasting outcomes for nature that we need to see, if we are to meet our ambition to restore and regenerate biodiversity across the country by 2045.\u201d<\/p>\n

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