Call for evidence to inform the development of NRW’s approach to regulating the release of gamebirds (common pheasant and red-legged partridge) in Wales

Today NRW has launched a call for evidence into the way gamebirds are released into the Welsh countryside

In a blog we asked Nadia DeLonghi, Head of Regulation and Permitting to explain a bit more about the evidence we’re asking for and give a bit of background to the work.

Here’s what Nadia had to say:

“Welsh Government Ministers have has asked Natural Resources Wales and officials from Welsh Government to consider options for regulating gamebird releases in Wales.

“At the moment, releases of gamebirds within a boundary of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) usually need consent from NRW. However, outside those boundaries, there is little regulation, management, or monitoring of their effect.

“And so we’re starting the project off with a call for evidence. We’re particularly interested in the number of gamebirds released, where they are released and their impact on the environment. We also want evidence of the positive impacts of management activities associated with game shooting.

“And we’d like to ask you to help by sending in evidence you may have that could help us make the right decisions.

“We know that similar evidence reviews have been carried out in recent years, and we say more about this on our more detailed project page. But we are sure that more evidence is available – it may be a Wales only study, or evidence gathered after these earlier reviews concluded.

“Once we’ve had time to consider the evidence, the next step for us will be to consider how best to manage any ecological risks without disproportionately compromising the environmental, social, and economic benefits provided by game shooting. We’ll be consulting on our preferred option.

“We should make it clear that the Minister has not asked for gamebirds releases to be stopped – but to find a way that balances the needs of all stakeholders and the environment itself.”

For more information about the types of evidence that we’re interested in – and what is outside the scope of this project – as well as how to submit your evidence, please visit https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/evidence-policy-and-permitting-tystiolaeth-polisi-a-thrwyddedu/call-for-evidence-to-inform-the-development-of-nrw