Natural Resources Wales will not renew leases on land it manages for pheasant shooting rights when they come to an end in March 2019.
The move by the NRW is in line with the Welsh Government’s position, that it does not support pheasant shooting, the breeding of gamebirds or the birds being kept in holding pens on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate.
However, the move has faced backlash from rural group the Countryside Alliance, who say the NRW have "bowed to pressure from its political masters in Cardiff".
Rural Wales has some of the lowest average incomes in northern Europe, and shooting is one of the few sectors showing growth in the Welsh rural economy, the group highlighted.
The NRW defended its decision, saying the review had been carried out to assess firearms use against the body's role and purpose, to manage Wales’ natural resources in a sustainable way.
Madeleine Havard, NRW’s Acting Chair said: “We want to make the most of the land we manage for the people, economy and environment in Wales. As a land manager, this means considering how best to make sure that we tackle the ongoing decline in our wildlife, while conserving rare animals and habitats.
“In making our final decisions, the Board also accepted the Welsh Government’s position as landowner.”
Shooting influences the management of more than 939,000 acres of Welsh countryside, and the country receives a £75 million annual benefit to its economy from shooting, according to figures from British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
