The Scottish Parliament has passed the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, which bans the practice of snaring in Scotland.
The bill aims to increase protection for Scotland’s wildlife and includes a range of measures to ensure that the management of species on grouse moors is done so sustainably and with animal welfare as a priority.
The measures in the bill include:
- A ban the practice of snaring in Scotland;
- A ban the use of glue traps to catch rodents;
- Gives greater powers to Scottish SPCA inspectors to tackle wildlife crime;
- Introduces a new licensing framework for grouse moors;
- Strictly regulates the use of muirburn, the controlled burning of vegetation on peatland.
Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said the bill is “a significant step” in the Scottish government’s wider journey to ensure the country’s environment is managed sustainably.
“People who live and work on our land have shown that it’s possible to manage wildlife,” he said.
“They have shown that muirburn, which is a key approach to helping manage wildfires, can be undertaken responsibly and in a way that protects biodiversity.
“We have struck the right balance between improving animal welfare, supporting rural businesses and reinforcing a zero tolerance approach to raptor persecution and wildlife crime.”
The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill was introduced primarily to address raptor persecution and ensure that the management of grouse moors and related activities are undertaken in an environmentally sustainable and welfare conscious manner, the government said.
It aims to do this by implementing the recommendations of the independent review of grouse moor management.
