BASC is advising members that the government has launched a public consultation on new trapping standards.
The six-week consultation asks for views on the UK’s implementation of the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS) – a protocol between the European Union, Russia, Canada and the USA.
Defra wants to gather information on the supply, use and marking of traps which, in the UK, are used for stoats.
Glynn Evans, BASC’s head of game and deer management, said: “BASC is represented on the Defra-led technical working group set up to consider whether new traps could be developed to satisfy the AIHTS requirements and has worked closely with government and stakeholders throughout this process.
“BASC has consistently advocated that any new traps must be effective and comparable in size, cost and availability to those currently used. There must also be sufficient time for trappers to make the transition to these new traps once they become available.
“BASC will respond in detail to the consultation and would urge our members who use stoat traps to send in their own responses. Doing so will help DEFRA understand the importance of trapping in wildlife management and conservation.”
The government has said it will respond shortly after the consultation ends. Members can respond here using the Citizen Space survey.