Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

The Department of the Environment is seeking views on proposals to introduce statutory restrictions on the use of lead shot in or over wetland areas in Northern Ireland. The Unitied Kingdom (UK) is a contracting party to an International agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (the Agreement). The Agreement seeks to promote the conservation of migratory waterbirds and covers 118 countries worldwide.

Under the Agreement the UK gave a commitment to phase out the use of lead shot over wetlands. The European Union has also called for the phasing out of the use of lead shot over wetlands as soon as possible and ultimately by 2009.

It is now universally recognised that wildfowl suffer harm from lead shot because they eat spent shot when taking grit to aid digestion. The lead in the spent shot remains in the affected bird's gut, slowly poisoning it. Each country in Great Britain has introduced its own Regulations i.e. England in 1999, Wales in 2001 and Scotland in 2004.

As Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK which has not introduced any statutory restrictions on the use of lead shot over wetlands, the UK is at risk of potential criticism for not fully meeting its international commitments.

It is not the purpose of the Regulations to unnecessarily restrict shooting or the sport of wildfowling, but to take reasonable measures in the interests of preventing harm to Northern Ireland's wildfowl and to promote the wise and sustainable use of our wetlands and huntable species, as well as meeting Northern Ireland's international commitments.

The Department has published a consultation document detailing its proposals and can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here. Comments and replies in relation to the paper should be returned not later than 22nd August 2008.

Countryside Alliance Ireland is presently holding meetings with interested parties to formulate a comprehensive and coherent response to this consultation.