Almost 10,000 people visit BASC website to help challenge ban on shooting in Wales

Thousands of people have visited a dedicated webpage set up by BASC to help challenge a ban on shooting imposed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Close to 10,000 people have now visited the page, which was published following the decision by NRW to ban pheasant shooting on all public land following intervention from Welsh environment minister Hannah Blythyn AM.

More than 3,000 people have visited a page which allows them to email the office of the environment minister direct and almost 3,000 people have visited a page which allows them to email their Assembly Member.

Almost 800 people have visited a page which allows them to email NRW direct and a page hosting an open letter by BASC Council member Ian Coghill to Hannah Blythyn has been visited more than 3,200 times.

BASC Wales director Steve Griffiths said: “We are absolutely delighted that so many people have let Hannah Blythyn, Natural Resources Wales and their Assembly Members know the strength of feeling on this issue.

“Thank you to all of those people who have so far taken the time to visit our website and taken action.

“There is still work to be done. We need people to continue getting the message across that shooting must be protected.

“If you haven’t yet done so, please spend just a couple of minutes making your views known, via our dedicated webpage.”

Three of the UK’s leading rural organisations are challenging the NRW ban on pheasant shooting on public land.

BASC, The Countryside Alliance (CA) and the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) sought legal advice when NRW’s board voted not to allow shooting after receiving a letter from Hannah Blythyn.

Lawyers acting on behalf of BASC, CA and NGO have issued a letter before action to NRW and may seek a Judicial Review, which they will jointly fund.

Hannah Blythyn cancelled a meeting which was due to be held with with BASC and CA this week to discuss shooting and views she set out in the letter to NRW.

BASC was told the minister did not consider it appropriate to meet to discuss the issues after she became aware of the letter before action to NRW calling on them to change their decision to end the leasing of land for pheasant shooting on the Welsh Government estate.

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