STOP THE SHOOTING OF ALL THREATENED BIRDS

There are renewed appeals to Heritage Ministers Darragh O’Brien and Malcolm Noonan to remove ALL threatened birds from the open season shooting list.

The latest call follows the emergence this week of a Department of Heritage document showing that consideration is being given to ending the targeting of some – but not all – of the country’s amber- and red-list birds.

The 13 September 2022 document 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”.

In our latest appeal to the Ministers to protect ALL threatened birds from shooters, the Irish Council Against Blood Sports stated: “We encourage you to do the right thing for all these threatened amber- and red-list birds and permanently remove each and every one of them from the open season order. This must be the one and only course of action if your department is serious about saving these species. We hope that progress on protecting these birds can be made swiftly before they slide closer to extinction.”

In relation to Option B, we stressed that a shortening of the open season is not good enough – “Anything other than a total end to the shooting and killing would be reckless and not in line with Ireland’s obligation to save species from demise.”

”It is inconceivable that any persecution of golden plover or snipe would be allowed to continue,” we added. “Golden plover is a red-list species of highest conservation concern. The status of snipe has worryingly gone from amber to red, with breeding populations of snipe in Ireland now IN SEVERE DECLINE.”

We pointed out that there is no mention of the greylag goose in the document and urged the Ministers to ensure that this bird is among those protected from shooters.

“This amber-list bird may be killed by shooters every day between 1 September and 15 October (anywhere in the state) and also between 16 October and 31 January on Lady’s Island, Wexford and in Gearagh East and West in County Cork,” we stated.

We also called for the woodcock to be fully protected. The department’s document suggests that the three-month shooting season for this bird remains as it is, i.e. from 1 November to 31 January. The woodcock is a red-list bird of highest conservation concern and its shooting must be urgently stopped.

ACTION ALERT

Join us in urging Ministers O’Brien and Noonan to stop the killing of birds – or, at the very least, remove the amber- and red-list birds from the open season shooting list. Encourage them to give full protection to all Irish birds.

Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Minister for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie; natureconservation@housing.gov.ie; WildlifeLicence@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD

Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm

Read the “Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland 4: 2020–2026” report at
https://birdwatchireland.ie/app/uploads/2021/04/BOCCI-2020-2026.pdf

SEE ALSO

Red-list birds blasted to death
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/red-list-birds-blasted-to-death-today/

5-year licences for shooting threatened red-list birds
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/04/20/5-year-licences-for-shooting-threatened-red-list-birds/

Over 4,000 licences granted for killing on state foreshores
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/photos/a.463548137094083/6134666896648817/

NPWS licences allow killing at foreshores and 43 lakes
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/photos/a.463548137094083/6082089828573191/

We trap and kill cats – Red grouse group chairman
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/748115133436127/