Scotland has marked the start of the first grouse shooting season under new legislation requiring a licence for shooting the game birds.
The Scottish Government passed the new legislation in March and it is now in full effect as Monday marks the Glorious Twelfth, the official start of grouse shooting season.
The Scottish Green Party called for authorities to be vigilant in enforcing the new law and criticised the “organised cruelty” of grouse shoots.
Moors that are home to grouse must now apply for a licence that lasts five years, with NatureScot opening for applications in mid-July.
Some estates have not yet applied for a licence due to uncertainty over mapping requirements as part of the application process but Scottish Land and Estates bosses have said they are hopeful that dialogue with NatureScot would address these challenges and resolve the matter.
Ross Ewing, director of moorland at Scottish Land and Estates, said: “The licensing regime is the biggest change to grouse shooting in generations and we are entering into a new era for those involved in the sector.
“We had to work hard to ensure the legislation was as proportionate and workable as possible for moor owners and gamekeepers and we believe this has been achieved in most respects.
“We are encountering challenges regarding the maps that are required by NatureScot to accompany licence applications but we are hopeful this can be resolved soon.
“Research commissioned by the Scottish Government has found that grouse moor management delivers more for rural economies and communities than other comparable land uses.”
He added: “We also know that moors have a huge role to play in protecting fragile habitat, whilst peer-reviewed science is demonstrating that vulnerable and threatened species such as the Eurasian Curlew can produce four times as many chicks on grouse moors than on unmanaged moorland.
“The Scottish Government is on record as firmly supporting the positive role that grouse moors play for people, jobs and nature and we want to work with them and other stakeholders to sustain those benefits as the new regime gets under way.”
One of the gamekeepers out on today’s first shoot of the season was Ian Elliot of the Southern Uplands Moorland Group.
Mr Elliot said: “It is always a special day as the season gets under way on the Glorious Twelfth and this year is slightly different with the new licensing system in place.
“It obviously brings with it more regulation and paperwork for us to complete but we believe that it can be workable in the long term so long as Government continues to recognise the value and work of the sector.
“The season is looking patchy and we will know more once we enter the autumn months. Even if shoots are fewer in number, the privately funded conservation work we undertake which helps wildlife and habitat will continue unabated.”
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Keith Robertson, director of QuadCare in the Scottish Borders, which supplies and repairs all-terrain vehicles, underlined the importance of grouse shooting to his business.
Mr Robertson said: “We work with six of the sporting estates in the Borders – and the estate work represents 35-40 per cent of our business.
“We have been established for 10 years and now have seven members of staff – the success of the sporting season is really important to us, and the whole region.”
The Scottish Greens have said authorities must be vigilant in enforcing new wildlife protections during the season.
Rural affairs spokesperson Ariane Burgess said: “There’s nothing glorious about the killing of helpless animals. Yet, every year, we have seen this organised cruelty taking place across Scotland.
“I hope that this is the year that we will start to see change. We have had a huge step forward in wildlife protections, following the passing of legislation to end the lawless and bloody scenes that have become so common.
“This is the first year that these new laws will be used. We will all need to be vigilant and learn from their enforcement.
“For decades, shooting estates have failed to control the killing of our iconic birds of prey, and it is crucial that any estates found to be in breach of their obligations are held accountable.”
She added: “Our world-renowned landscapes are for all of us. They are not, and must never be, a playground for a small number of wealthy shooters.
“It’s great to see the leadership of estates that have decided to move away from these barbaric practices.”
NatureScot has been contacted for comment.
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