Scotland’s new laws regulating grouse moors condemned as Holyrood passes Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill

Scotland’s controversial new laws regulating grouse moors will cause a “seismic change” in the way shooting estates are run and have a “ruinous” effect on the country’s wildlife and rural economy, according to opponents of the legislation.

The criticism comes after Holyrood passed the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, which will establish licensing schemes for the killing of red grouse and the use of specific traps to trap wild birds.

It also restricts the practice of muirburn – the controlled burning of heather and other plants – gives greater powers to Scottish SPCA inspectors to investigate wildlife crime and bans glue traps for catching rodents.

The legislation, which was primarily introduced to combat illegal killing of birds of prey and ensure that management of grouse moors is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable and welfare-conscious manner, passed its final stage in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday by 85 votes to 30.

“This bill is a significant step in our wider journey to ensure Scotland’s environment is managed sustainably,” agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said.

“People who live and work on our land have shown that it’s possible to manage wildlife.

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“They have shown that muirburn, which is a key approach to helping manage wildfires, can be undertaken responsibly and in a way that protects biodiversity.

The golden eagle, considered Scotland's national bird, is among the birds of prey which have been victims of illegal persecution – sparking calls for regulation of grouse moor businesses, which have been linked to deaths and ‘suspicious’ disappearances. Picture: Shutterstock

“We have struck the right balance between improving animal welfare, supporting rural businesses and reinforcing a zero tolerance approach to raptor persecution and wildlife crime.”

He said there would be no “victory parade” in the bill's passing, as he recognised the concerns of those who work “legally and responsibly” in moorland pursuits.

But the legislation would not have been needed if the practice of raptor persecution had been “shut down”.

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The new Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, which will establish licensing schemes for the killing of red grouse and the use of specific traps to trap wild birds, was primarily designed to protect birds like the hen harrier – one of the country's most persecuted raptor species. Picture: Pete Morris

Ariane Burgess, rural affairs spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said it marked “a momentous step forward for our landscapes and nature”.

However, the shooting industry has blasted the regulations.

“Licensing of grouse shooting represents a seismic change for rural estates and their employees, including gamekeepers and shepherds,” said Ross Ewing, director of moorland at Scottish Land and Estates.

“The legislation goes far beyond the stated intention of deterring the persecution of raptors by introducing a broad range of relevant offences under which licences can be suspended or revoked.

“Many of these offences bear no connection to land managed for grouse shooting.”

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British Association for Shooting and Conservation director for Scotland Peter Clark said: “We believe the final draft still poses a risk to sustainable grouse moor management, predator control and muirburn and will be ruinous to the rural economy and the species that gamekeepers work to protect.”

Alex Hogg, chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, voiced specific concerns.

“We have deep fears for the future of red-listed species because of the snaring ban,” he said.

“The impacts of this step must be robustly reviewed and challenged if need be.”

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Scottish Tory rural affairs spokeswoman Rachael Hamilton described the legislation as “conceptually flawed”, and said it reflected the “derision the government has for rural Scotland”.

Environmentalists have welcomed the bill, with RSPB Scotland calling it “absolutely brilliant news”.

Max Wiszniewski, campaign manager for the Revive coalition, said it would “hopefully go some way to tackling the persecution of Scotland’s birds of prey, something that our first First Minister, Donald Dewar, called a ‘national disgrace’ in 1998”.