Stopping the killing

“Enough is enough. Obey the law, respect the will of the Scottish people and protect our wildlife.”
Strong words from the Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse as he used the SNP conference to issue a warning to those continuing to flout the law on killing raptors.
The “sand is running out of the hour glass” he told them, promising tougher sanctions could be on the way.
The numbers of raptors killed in Scotland may be small, but the first two Wildlife Crime in Scotland reports from the Scottish Government showed a concerning rise over the last two years and Wheelhouse said the deaths, from poisonings or other means, of iconic birds like the Golden Eagle were a “stain on Scotland’s reputation”.
Measures have been brought in, such as the introduction of vicarious liability – making landowners culpable for deaths on their estates – and the removal of general licences from estates involved in wildlife crime.
However, the emphasis has still been on working with, rather than dictating to, landowners and stronger action, such as full estate licensing, have not been imposed…yet.
Wheelhouse told the conference in Perth: “Several rotten apples in the barrel are spoiling this for everyone. Make no mistake, we will not hesitate to act if they do not listen to what we are saying.”
Speaking to Holyrood after his intervention, Wheelhouse said he had not planned to speak during the motion from the SNP’s Troon branch, but clearly, he felt his Government’s message needed to be reiterated.
October’s Wildlife Crime Report showed 23 recorded incidents in 2013, compared to just 14 in 2012. Birds found dead included Red Kites and Ospreys as well as Fearnan, a young Golden Eagle who had been fitted with a satellite tag so it could be followed by members of the public. It has led for calls for those tougher measures to be brought in.
In the next few weeks Scottish Environment LINK will release two reports. The first is a research paper on how the law is being enforced, the second, a broader discussion of wildlife crime law.
Policy officer Andy Myles said they highlighted “serious failings” in tackling wildlife crime from the police, courts and prosecutors. 
He said: “We very much appreciate the political rhetoric we have had from Paul Wheelhouse and other parties. What we have had for many decades has been condemnation of wildlife crime. What we need now is for them to stand up and seriously grapple with this issue. Condemnation has not worked.” 
Myles added the organisation would be making “radical proposals” on how to tackle the issue alongside other wildlife crimes such as badger baiting and egg collecting.
The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee has been running an inquiry on the issue. Although there have been two of the detailed official Wildlife Crime reports, it will be some time before a detailed trend begins to emerge and there is disagreement about just how common the crimes are.
Giving evidence to the committee, Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said he felt those reported were not just the tip of the iceberg, but in a follow-up session, Paul Wheelhouse said his “gut feeling” was crimes were being committed that were not being recorded.
The results of a review of penalties for wildlife crime is due later this year and the new 2014 General Licences included a clause allowing Scottish Natural Heritage to intervene if a crime was believed to have taken place. 
In addition, a consultation has been carried out into SSPCA increasing its own investigative powers, while surveillance cameras and further technology are likely to be used to try and catch criminals in the act.
The blame is often laid on landowners, or those who work for them. RSPB Scotland director Stuart Housden told Holyrood there should be greater regulation of grouse moors and sport shooting as Scotland and the UK are among the least regulated in Europe.
While he said there were many members of his organisation who would like to see grouse shooting banned completely, the RSPB does not want an all-out ban, but to “give comfort to the people who do it well”.
He added: “If a corner shop needs a licence to sell wine and beer, it is bizarre someone who manages 10,000 acres of hill ground can do whatever they like and is not subject to any regulatory checks at all.”
Landowners, though, have complained they are being unfairly targeted.
Earlier this year 22 raptors including buzzards and red kites were found dead in Conon Bridge in the Highlands and Scottish Land and Estates complained the finger was pointed too quickly at gamekeepers, when further investigation from Police Scotland concluded the deaths had been as a result of pest control.
In a letter to The Herald, Tim Baynes, the group’s Moorland Group director, said despite the trends of crimes against birds of prey having fallen over the last five years, speculation around each case was “hysterical”. He added that speculation was having “a corrosive knock-on effect” on other aspects of land management and was “severely straining the relationship between land managers and conservation bodies.”
Speaking to Holyrood Baynes stressed Scottish Land and Estates and other organisations worked closely with all sides to help tackle wildlife crime, including as part of the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime and said this had been successful.