FROM WILD JUSTICE—IT’S ABOUT DEFRA AND THE CALL FOR EVIDENCE

Good morning, You may have already heard about Defra opening a Call for Evidence (CfE) on matters related to gamebirds. Today’s newsletter will tell you a bit about it, its scope, and how you might be able to contribute to it. Defra’s Call for Evidence; this is your opportunity to be heard on all things ‘gamebird’. Earlier this month Defra opened a Call for Evidence on gamebirds, their rearing, releasing, shooting and associated management. It covers several species; Red Grouse, Pheasants, Red-legged Partridges and Mallards. This is not a public consultation, but it is still very important. The Government has said it will explore wider measures, such as licensing, for recreational gamebird shooting and release, and the process of forming any new proposals will begin with evidence gathering. What Defra receives now could shape whether a full public consultation follows, and what future policy on gamebirds will look like. Defra wants evidence on the impacts of these industries, including environmental impacts, animal welfare implications, disease and biosecurity risks (including bird flu), wildlife crime and effects on local communities. The CfE is open to anyone, and that includes you if you live in, work in or visit the countryside. The webpage for the CfE states that Defra will accept "well-documented operational or experiential evidence" alongside peer-reviewed research. Shooting organisations are already urging their members to respond, telling them their experience is evidence. We would say, so is yours. Have you had a vehicle collision with a gamebird, found dumped birds or a stink pit, come across illegal traps, or discovered a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances? Have you been harassed by gamekeepers, been disturbed by noise, or lost access to land because of shooting? We’ve written a blog explaining what the CfE asks for, who can respond, what kinds of evidence work best, and how to submit yours, including a list of questions about your own interactions with gamebird shooting. Wild Justice will be submitting our own response, which we’ll share with you at a later date. The shooting industry has largely evaded accountability for the harms it is responsible for. Now we have a rare opportunity to formally put on record issues that the industry would prefer remained hidden, and demonstrate to the Government that these issues are widespread and of deep concern to the general public. If you do respond via the online form, you might want to answer Questions 28 and 29 of Section A: ‘Call for Evidence Questions – Other impacts’ – particularly Question 28e. Read our blog & respond to the Call for Evidence If you'd like to share a copy of your submission with us via email, we’d be interested to receive it. Thank you, Wild Justice (CEO: Bob Elliot. Directors: Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay). This is the 274th Wild Justice newsletter. This email was sent to you because you subscribed to it through the Wild Justice website or through an e-action or a petition where you ticked a box. Thank you. We will only use your personal details to send you the Wild Justice newsletter. We will not give or sell your details to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time: there is an unsubscribe button at the foot of this email or you can reply to this email and ask us to remove you from the list (the former will happen immediately, the latter might take a few days). 124, City Road London Greater London EC1V 2NX UNITED KINGDOM Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options