Irish Extra July 2023
There are people in our lives who come and go, some leave a mark and others leave a rather large imprint and memories that we carry forever. Mr Philip Lawton who was a man who left a rather large imprint on me. We first met through the Irish Game Fair some 13 or 14 years ago when I began demonstrating in the main arena. Philip took a great interest in what I was doing as he had a keen interest in country sports and its history. Not long after meeting, alongside my demonstration of modern rabbiting, ferrets and working lurchers he and I put together an act called “The Victorian Poacher”. It started off as a bit off fun and became quite serious! We added a police uniform for Philip, a butchers bike for myself and the whippet and even a set of handcuffs! It became the highlight of a weekend for me and became almost like a Christmas panto as Philip encouraged the crowd with an “Oh yes you did” and I did the same with an “Oh no I didn’t”! The funny thing was we never really prepared or rehearsed anything and it came naturally to him – Many a time we made a mistake or something happened and we just tied it into the act! I remember one year a loose terrier appeared in the arena and Philip carried on and pretended it was his dog, the dog joined in and nobody knew any different.
Philip was a country sports enthusiast, writer, historian, stick maker, raconteur & gentleman and a man that became a very close friend of mine in a short time. He lifted the energy and spirits of anyone in his company and I have always been proud to take up the pen of Irish Extra where he left off when he passed away ten years ago last month. It is often unbelievable how time flies and it seems like only yesterday he was chasing me around a main arena!
Firearms – Under Pressure
In May this year an online consultation was launched by the FEC (Firearms Expert Committee) which followed on from two reports published by the FEC who recommended changes to the firearms legislation in Ireland. Following the release of the reports, the Firearms Users Representative Group (FURG), only a few days ago submitted a 36-page submission to Minister of State with responsibility for law reform, James Browne. The reports, the recommendations and the process which led to them were rejected by FURG who stated that gun owners had been “sidelined” in the process. Irish firearm legislation is some of the strictest in Europe – All while FERG claim their recommendations will bring Ireland into line with the rest of European. This is a complete nonsense statement. If we look at Germany for example. A firearms licensee must apply for one single license and can then holdup to 9 firearms on that license including shot guns, rifles and pistols if he or she so wishes. In Ireland, each individual firearm must be licensed and that license renewed every three years.
According to FURG, “Many of the recommendations will, if adopted, have a restricting effect on shooting activities, be that game shooting, target shooting, clay pigeon shooting, vermin control and deer management,” FURG said.
The group added: “The purpose of the recommendations appears to be to curtail virtually all shooting activities by imposing conditions on the possession, use, carriage, or storage of sporting firearms and ammunition; and forcing shooters into situations regarding usage of firearms which would, if enacted, severely limit the exercise of their sporting shooting.”
FURG also reiterated its criticism of the structure and direction of the FEC, saying it lacked stakeholder representation. “A full year has been wasted on this failed Firearms Expert Committee. FURG now calls on Minister of State James Browne TD to meet with FURG immediately and set in motion a proper mechanism for giving firearms licence holders a consistent, fair, and efficient service,” the group said.
Open seasons Order
In March this Minister Noonan launched a public consultation into the Open Season Order and the birds listed on it. In lay man’s it terms it was a review of quarry species, their numbers and the sustainability of any particular species continuing to be a “quarry species”. 14 of the 21 species under the Open Season Order were highlighted as being of national level concern in 2019 stemming from an NPWS report to the EU on the status of Irish Bird species. The report said:
“While government-led efforts and initiatives to protect birds have intensified and are significant, so too is the challenge of reversing declines in threatened bird species, and other habitats and species. Despite more than 30 years of effort to protect and conserve biodiversity under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the latest assessments under these Directives show declining trends in the conservation status of some of our most threatened species. We must make every effort to protect our birds and, in line with our EU counterparts, it is appropriate that we consider the role of hunting activities in this context.
“Our aim is to continue to restore and preserve the conservation status of vulnerable bird species, and in the context of hunting and the Open Seasons Order, to support sustainable hunting practices. We must also develop better processes for data collection and periodic review of the Open Seasons Order. This must be collaborative, and based on scientific evidence.” In parallel, the National Parks and Wildlife Service is undertaking an analysis of available data in order to inform decisions on the retention or removal of species, or to the amendment of the open season for particular species. NPWS is also seeking to set out other short-, medium-, and long-term actions that will be required to meet Birds Directive obligations and to ensure the sustainability of the Open Seasons Order. As part of this public consultation, the NPWS will engage with stakeholder groups and members of the public to consider how best to manage the Open Seasons Order, and to gain a clearer picture on the impact of hunting on threatened bird species.
While it appeared on one hand that the consultation was taking into account the opinions of the various stakeholders, a document which turned up only a week ow two ago shows that a restriction on many quarry species and a reduction on the open season is already a done deal – With no regard for stakeholders. The document dated 13thh September 2022 entitled “Annex II Bird Species on Open Seasons Order – NPWS Management Board”, presents two options being considered. They are:
Option A: The removal of 13 species (red grouse, mallard, teal, gadwall, wigeon, pintail, shoveler, scaup, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye, golden plover, snipe) from the open season order
or
Option B: The removal of 7 species (pochard, scaup, goldeneye, pintail, gadwall, shoveler, red grouse), shortening the open season for golden plover/snipe/jack snipe and “review species on an ongoing basis”.
My question would be, has the Open Order Consultation taken real conservation work into consideration? The removal of non native pest species such as Mink and Grey Squirrels, hooded crows, magpies and not to mention the fox control carried out by gun packs and individuals – If the birds are taken off the list I feel in many ways it will be more detrimental to their numbers.
Until Next time…Good Hunting