Rural campaigners have welcomed an announcement from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) after it shelved plans to licence the release of game birds for 2024/2025 season.
NRW said that given the sheer ‘volume’ of responses- 42,000- to their recent consultation, it would not be ‘achievable’ to bring in any changes in line with its current timeline.
It is now unclear whether the licencing plans will come into effect, with the regulatory body stating that it had discussed with Welsh government whether licencing would be required at all in the future.
Rural groups, shoot owners, and representative of the hospitality trade had warned that the plans risked devastating the rural economy, while negatively impacting conservation efforts.
Over 12,500 people signed a direct response to NRW, orchestrated by the Countryside Alliance, while shooting groups organised several public meetings to drum up opposition to the proposed scheme.
The value of shooting in Wales is worth some £75 million to the economy and provides the equivalent of 2,400 full time jobs.
Campaigners say shooting provides Wales with a 365 day a year tourism industry, supporting village pubs, hotels and eateries in the quieter winter months when passing trade is bleak.
Responding to NRW’s announcement today (20 September), the Countryside Alliance warned that there was 'never any justification' for its proposals.
It said there was 'no evidence' game shooting had any negative impact on the Welsh countryside, arguing the 'opposite is true'.
The group's chief executive, Tim Bonner, said: “We believe that vast bulk of those 42,000 cited responses came from the shooting community, who opposed the proposal to licence release which would have provided a vehicle for politicians to progressively restrict shooting.
“The overwhelming impression in rural communities is that this is just another episode of ‘Cardiff against the countryside’ and the Welsh government has a particular prejudice against shooting.
"Shooting has huge environmental, social and economic benefits for rural communities and our advice to Ministers would be to drop the proposal completely or face a bitter fight with countryside.”
