Debbie
27-03-2005, 12:55 PM
Hello All,
Nick Kester has kindly agreed to let me know of any press releases so I can pop them on here for all to see. As many of us would otherwise never get to see them.
Debbs xx
Hawk Board Press Release
For immediate use Saturday, 26 March 2005
HAWK BOARD THANKS LOBBY GROUPS FOR CHANGING DEFRA PEST RULES
The Hawk Board today publicly thanked the organisations responsible for spotting the confusion in the revised ‘pest’ licences and for ensuring the wording was changed to more accurately reflect the needs of all sportsmen.
A Hawk Board spokesman said: “Although we were concerned at the wording, it was not until the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, the County Land and Business Association and the Countryside Alliance examined the issues in greater detail and raised their concerns did we realise what it would have meant to falconers.”
“Although pigeons are not a prime target quarry (they carry an infection that captive bred falcons are not immune to), falconers do hunt Corvids and gulls. The idea that you had to attempt to use other non-lethal methods of control before slipping your falcon was patently absurd.”
“We shall be discussing the whole issue of quarry species with DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government before the annual licence review and ensuring that, while co-incidentally falconers do carry out pest control, the species themselves are also recognised as an appropriate quarry, and thus no different to the pigeon.”
For general falconry issues contact:
Nick Kester Communications Officer, Hawk Board on 01267 281448 nk.quattro@zetnet.co.uk
Nick Kester has kindly agreed to let me know of any press releases so I can pop them on here for all to see. As many of us would otherwise never get to see them.
Debbs xx
Hawk Board Press Release
For immediate use Saturday, 26 March 2005
HAWK BOARD THANKS LOBBY GROUPS FOR CHANGING DEFRA PEST RULES
The Hawk Board today publicly thanked the organisations responsible for spotting the confusion in the revised ‘pest’ licences and for ensuring the wording was changed to more accurately reflect the needs of all sportsmen.
A Hawk Board spokesman said: “Although we were concerned at the wording, it was not until the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, the County Land and Business Association and the Countryside Alliance examined the issues in greater detail and raised their concerns did we realise what it would have meant to falconers.”
“Although pigeons are not a prime target quarry (they carry an infection that captive bred falcons are not immune to), falconers do hunt Corvids and gulls. The idea that you had to attempt to use other non-lethal methods of control before slipping your falcon was patently absurd.”
“We shall be discussing the whole issue of quarry species with DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government before the annual licence review and ensuring that, while co-incidentally falconers do carry out pest control, the species themselves are also recognised as an appropriate quarry, and thus no different to the pigeon.”
For general falconry issues contact:
Nick Kester Communications Officer, Hawk Board on 01267 281448 nk.quattro@zetnet.co.uk