Current Issues
BDS News Release
The Regulatory Review Order (Deer) (England and Wales) a lobbying success! The Society has released the following press release (03/04/07) in response to the recommendations made by the Regulatory Review Committee. Over the last few months the Society has led an industry wide group to lobby for changes to the original Review Order. As a result the Committee has recommended that the close season for female deer in England and Wales be reduced by one month and that it should begin on 1 April each year. In addition we welcome the decision to recommend that the use of .22 center fire calibers is confined to Chinese Water Deer and Muntjac only. Defra now have to decide whether or not to accept these recommendations however it is unlikely to disregard the carefully considered findings of this powerful Committee. To view the full Committee recommendations follow the link below.
PRESS RELEASE Tuesday, 03 April 2007
BDS lead industry lobbying hits its mark as Parliament backs shortening of close season
Deer industry lobbying has prompted Parliament to support a one month reduction of the close season for female deer in England and Wales.
A letter signed by BDS chairman Mark Nicolson on behalf of six leading organisations in the deer industry has led the Parliamentary committees reviewing Deer Act reform to think again over the vexed close seasons issue. In the initial draft of the Regulatory Reform Order by which the Government is to modify the Deer Act 1991, it proposed reduction of the current close season by two weeks, so that it would start on 15 March instead of 1 March as at present. However, this was opposed by BDS, BASC, the Countryside Alliance, the Game Conservancy Trust, National Gamekeepers Organisation and the Confederation of Forest Industries, all of which backed a close season date of 1 April. The organisations commented in their letter that the Government had paid insufficient attention to the combined expertise of the deer industry. The Regulatory Reform Committee accepted that further reduction of the close season would allow more opportunity for culling of female deer with no welfare penalty.
"We received letters from the British Deer Society and the Deer Initiative. The BDS stated that those bodies which argued in favour of a close season starting on April 1 represented the majority of the deer management industry, although no weighting had been applied to their views," stated the Committee. It added: "The point which the BDS makes about the consultation is well made and we have taken careful account of it." It gave its backing to the 1 April date.
BDS Spokesman David Kenyon was jubilant: "We are absolutely delighted. The success of this initiative is an example of just what we can achieve when we all pull together as well as being a positive step forward for deer management and welfare."
The Red Deer of Rum
Scottish National Heritage (SNH), who manage the Isle of Rum as a nature reserve, have announced controversial plans to cull a huge proportion of this scientifically and genetically important herd as part of a plan to re-afforest Rum to return it to a landscape last seen centuries ago. The plan, which was the subject of a feature on the Scottish rural affairs TV programme Landward, has met with fierce criticism from the scientific community and organisations such as the British Deer Society as well as from members of the public. MSP's have been briefed on the subject and SNH have subsequently announced a review of their plans. The society is keeping a close eye on developments and will lobby hard to protect the deer and ensure that deer welfare and genuine habitat issues are the primary drivers for the management programme on Rum.
Deer Vehicle Collisions
The first national study of road traffic accidents involving deer has revealed a major and under recognised problem which will need to be addressed for the welfare of both deer and road users. Estimates, based on survey results, show a suspected 74,000 plus per year. The human cost of accidents between 2000 and 2005 included 20 fatalities, 134 serious injuries and more than 600 other injuries. Some of the deer would have been killed outright but many others would have crawled off into the hedgerows and bushes to die in agony and distress. The Deer Initiative, of which the society is a partner organisation, has produced an excellent report on behalf of the Highways agency titled "Deer on our Roads". To obtain a copy or find out more details follow the links below or directly on 0870 774 3677.
www.thedeerinitiative.co.uk
www.deercollisions.co.uk |
