The Scottish Government has re-drafted its general licences, which will come into effect on 1 April, so air gunners and people who use Larsen traps can continue to carry out vital pest control.
The changes to the licences were made after the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) in Scotland met with government officials.
Director of BASC Scotland, Dr Colin Shedden, said: “Just days ago we were looking at a situation where air gunners wouldn’t have been able to operate under the general licences. This would have affected a lot of important pest control work. Just as worrying were Scottish Government proposals about the operation of Larsen traps for catching magpies which would have rendered them effectively unusable in Scotland. We are pleased that the Scottish government has listened to our concerns and re-drafted the licences to ensure that vital pest control can continue in Scotland”.
BASC Scotland has issued a guidance sheet on the new general licences for Scotland which is available by clicking here.
ENDS