The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, whose Twitter account describes themselves as… Leading UK charity conducting scientific research to enhance the British countryside for public benefit. Follow us for latest news and practical advice. https://twitter.com/Gameandwildlife … is carrying out a poll on whether you are happy to move from toxic polluting lead shot to its…
Category: LEAD AMMUNITION
Lead
ECHA (the European Chemicals Agency) estimate that 19,000+ tonnes of lead is deposited into the environment in Europe each year (this excludes shooting clay pigeons and similar sport shooting activities, see here). Based on estimates from the ammunition industry the Lead Ammunition Group estimate that 2000 tonnes of that is deposited in the UK (see…
Waitrose warns
I guess many readers of this blog will remember that Waitrose announced in July that by next game season it would be getting its game meat from sources that would guarantee that it will be lead-free. This is excellent news, puts Waitrose at the leading edge of supermarkets on this subject, and is very much…
Shooting preparing for a climbdown on lead ammunition?
This article by Rob Yorke, allegedly a personal view, suggests that shooting may be preparing to face the inevitable, and to admit that lead ammunition should go. I hope so. If this were just Rob Yorke wittering on then it wouldn’t hold much weight but the quotes from Liam Bell, Tim Bonner and the news…
Lead shot discussed in parliament yesterday
From the Earl of Shrewsbury (Con); Game shooting and fishing plays an important part in the rural economy, often providing badly needed jobs and income in less favoured areas. Indeed, wildlife can prosper on well-managed shoots and fisheries. I am a firm believer that game produced by the shooting sports should go into the food…
Shooters must give up lead shot for the environment’s sake – The Times
When the establishment’s newspaper calls for change then it is clearly not just time, but probably long overdue. That is the case with the use of lead ammunition in the UK. The Times opinion piece last week did not say anything new, it just said it in a different place, here are some quotes: Shooting…
What did the EU ever do for us? Lead ban on the cards?
I thought this was an interesting piece in Shooting UK online – click here. That the EU is moving to a complete ban on lead ammunition is not surprising or a secret – and is long overdue. I thought what was interesting was the quote from BASC’s Caroline Bedell; There are a number of uncertainties…
Listen again to Farming Today
Farming Today last Saturday morning had a discussion about shooting between Andrew Gilruth of GWCT and Pat Thompson of RSPB. Pat did very well but it’s more interesting to listen to Gilruth I think. He rarely answers the question. He reminds me so much of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s performance in Parliament yesterday evening – smooth, unruffled,…
A chat on a train
A fortnight ago, I set off to give a talk about driven grouse shooting at Walthamstow Wetlands as part of the London Wildlife Festival. I got off the tube at Tottenham Hale (a new experience) and walked to the site to find lots of glum faces as the Saturday and Sunday events had just been…
In September Birdwatch
Rebecca, Ruth and I had a chat at the Bird Fair. In this month’s Birdwatch there is an excellent article on raptor persecution by Ruth Tingay as well as a host of excellent images of rare birds from the UK and elsewhere in Europe. I enjoyed Bill Oddie’s back-page column too. In my Political Birder…