Sniping in Northern Ireland. (proposals)

This will make the coming weeks relatively uncertain for example we know that the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (DOE NI) hoped to take advantage of direct rule to introduce restrictions on the use of lead shot in Northern Ireland by September 1 this year. However devolution would mean that it would fall to the NI Assembly to process such legislative amendments. BASC believes that DOE NI will still attempt to persuade the NI Assembly to approve restrictions on the use of lead shot before September 1 but whether the Assembly will want to or indeed see this matter as a priority, is another thing. BASC has been fighting for 25 years and has successfully prevented restrictions on lead shot for many years. However in 1995 the UK government committed itself to restrict lead shot over UK wetlands by 2000, through the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement which applies to Northern Ireland. We have represented shooting interests on the government's lead shot replacement working group since 1992, steering and controlling the processes which have lead us to this point, including securing the voluntary (rather than statutory) phase out since 1995, delaying legislation for a number of years. In 1997 the Environment Minister announced that legislation would be introduced by the year 2000. Since then BASC's position has been that any restrictions must be both appropriate to and supported in Northern Ireland, and must not unnecessarily affect shooting

Practices. We are lobbying EHS aggressively so that the regulations contain as few restrictions as possible.

Following sustained pressure from BASC, EHS has agreed that only those sites that are of designated importance for waterfowl should be involved in the restrictions. This is welcome, as many additional sites were unnecessarily included in England. The list will probably include all Special Protection Areas designated for their waterfowl importance and a very few Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).

Restrictions on the use of lead shot to shoot snipe in Northern Ireland have been strongly opposed by BASC. Snipe are not at risk from lead poisoning and are a very important quarry throughout Ireland. They occur frequently on habitats which are not important for other waterfowl; such as blanket bogs, meadows and improved grassland. Where they de occur with waterfowl, those waterfowl will be protected from spent lead on the lead-free SPAS. We may need to survey members in Northern Ireland to help fight any restrictions on snipe shooting.

BASC has worked hard on EHS, and other Northern Ireland organisations, to ensure that the forthcoming restrictions are the minimum necessary and both practical and acceptable. EHS has promised a comprehensive consultation exercise and acknowledged that BASC and its members will be major players. We plan to consult extensively with our members, including public meetings throughout Northern Ireland, and are liasing closely with the other shooting organisations.