A new bill aimed at protecting the environment has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament today (Wednesday, March 2022).
It proposes a number of changes to rural practices.
The Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill aims to:
- End raptor persecution;
- Ensure grouse moors are managed sustainably;
- Ban the use of glue traps for rodents; and
- Tighten regulations for the use of other types of wildlife traps.
It also aims to strictly regulate the use of muirburn – the controlled burning of vegetation – on peatland.
If the bill passes as it, licenses for burning on peatland will only be granted in “exceptional circumstances”, such as for wildfire prevention.
The bill required Crown consent before becoming law.
Scottish Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said the public consultation on the bill received over 4,500 responses and made clear that the regulation and protection of Scotland’s natural environment is “an important issue for many”.
“The views of both the public and stakeholders have been carefully considered in the formation of this bill and I look forward to its passage through parliament,” she said.
On raptor persecution, McAllan said the illegal killing of Scotland’s birds of prey “cannot be tolerated”.
“This bill will seek to tackle the destructive minority who would continue to commit these wildlife crimes,” she said.
“I recognise that grouse shooting contributes to the rural economy and this bill is not about stopping this activity.
“However, it is clear that grouse moors must be managed in a sustainable and responsible way ensuring any environmental impacts are minimised,” she added.
The passing of the bill comes in the wake of the 2023 Hunting with Dogs Act, which introduced a new two-dog limit for all use of dogs in the course of hunting in a bid to prevent the chasing and killing of wild mammals by dogs for sport in Scotland.
The bill, which was introduced in January of this year, aimed to “close loopholes in existing laws” that have allowed the practice of illegal hunting to continue, the Scottish government said.
