Sometimes things happen which change the scene dramatically. Today sees such an event.
Raptor Persecution UK reports that the Moorland Association’s Amanda Anderson revealed in a DEFRA Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group meeting that her members want licences to kill Marsh Harriers. Read the full story here.
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A shocking revelation, and I hope this marks a significant turning point in the fight to stifle these people’s activities. What next? Fishery managers applying for licences to shoot Ospreys?
I am absolutely flabbergasted, almost speechless, which is most unusual for me. I need time to get my head around this latest revelation and a new and extreme low for an already discredited industry. Could this signal the inspiration for people to sign the petition to ban driven grouse shooting? I need to cool down and reflect.
If this is correct it is quite extraordinary in various ways. It would certainly give the lie to the idea that the grouse shooting industry has any interest in allowing a recovery of Hen Harrier numbers (not that that comes as a surprise). It is also astonishingly stupid on their account because such a move can only harden and increase opposition to grouse shooting with very little gain to set against this cost. I hope that Natural England will firmly instruct the MA to not even think about it but who can be confident of that these days?
In answer to Iain Gibson’s question ‘what next?’ I suggest – given how ludicrous this proposal is – that applications to set man-traps to control pesky bird lovers can’t be far over the horizon!!!!
It strikes me the ‘Moorland Association’ is merely a disguised grouse shooters club and should be disbanded. I wonder if Ms Anderson lists shooting amongst her pastimes!
Bill – it’s not disguised.
Yes, I realise that now having just visited their website! Silly me, I thought conservation was at the root of their aims too!!
Maybe this will galvanise the RSPB into taking a harder line.
What’s happened to their licensing ‘solution’ – they don’t seem to be pushing for a solution. Has the RSPB kicked this into the long grass?
Mark. For your interest I emailed Amanda Anderson on this and het immediate reply was that ‘the MA is not looking to cull Marsh Harriers’ .
Bill – I’d like to see something a bit more specific and public than that.
Further, she says “Absolute nonsense”.
Bill – yes but she doesn’t say what is absolute nonsense does she. We need a few sentences and a commitment rather than a comment which could refer to almost anything. It’s not hard to make this clear – so far, the Moorland Association position is not clear.
Fine choice of words by Amanda. A cull is vastly different to a license to control a species, indeed there won’t be enough Marsh Harriers on the uplands for any level of control to be called a cull.
I don’t think we should believe Mrs Anderson on this one, I remain absolutely shocked by this proposal but then again perhaps we shouldn’t be they kill everything else they perceive as a threat ( except raptor workers!!!) Sign the petition write to your MP ( with questions so you get an answer) encourage others to do the same this bloody pastime and these bloody awful people that run it deserve nothing less.
I think people need to acquaint themselves with the concept of “plausible deniability”. Google it. This is a fully worked out legalistic strategy for being able to “plausibly deny” something. I believe this strategy is widely used by vested interests.
It just shows the contempt they show for wildlife,ordinary people who watch wildlife and especially RSPB and the Government.
Do DEFRA’s Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (whatever that means) publish their minutes? Are applications for licences to Natural England made public? Does anyone know? Should approaches to MPs be made?
Having thought about it unfortunately getting a license will not make a bit of difference the criminals will do it anyway.
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