New Natural Environment Bill must not introduce more regulation for deer managers, says BASC

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has urged the Scottish Government to resist introducing further regulation, in response to a proposed new ‘Natural Environment Bill’ in Scotland.

The commitment to the new bill was included in a document outlining the Scottish Government’s policy and legislative plans for the year ahead, launched today by First Minister John Swinney in the Scottish Parliament.

BASC has urged the government to avoid further regulation on the sector, and instead to focus on incentivisation which should come through community deer management schemes and greater funding for larders.

A recent consultation ‘Managing deer for climate and nature’ sought to introduce disproportionate Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders (DMNROs) and mandatory training for deer stalkers.

BASC has argued that DMNROs, intended to support nature restoration, lack a clear rationale and definition, unlike Control Orders under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, which are a last resort measure backed by criminal law.

BASC’s Scotland director, Peter Clark said:

“Any new Natural Environment Bill must first and foremost reflect the hard work by BASC members, such as land managers and gamekeepers, in managing Scotland’s landscapes.

“The Bill is admirable in its goals of tackling the nature crisis, but they must incentivise change, not enforce further regulation.

“We are concerned that the Bill will be used as a vehicle to deliver further regulation and unworkable deer management proposals set out in a consultation earlier in the year.

“We will be seeking clarification from the Scottish Government as to the content of this new Bill, and impressing upon them how BASC and our members can shape its policy outcomes.”