GWCT News Blog

Defra will shortly publish an updated GL43 licence and guidance for 2025 for the release of gamebirds on and within 500m of areas that are Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), but not Special Protection Areas (SPAs). 

In response to the conclusion of the legal challenge brought by Wild Justice against Defra regarding the issuing of licences for gamebird releases in the Deben Estuary and Breckland in 2023, The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has issued the following statement.

Defra has advised GWCT and other stakeholders that new wild bird control General Licences for England (GL40-42) will come in to force on 1st January 2024. Defra has confirmed that it is not currently planning to make any changes and will replicate the existing GL40-42 conditions in the new licences.

While there is no doubt the impact of gamebird releasing on the spread of AI must be carefully assessed and monitoring ongoing it must be weighed against the considerable risk of withdrawing the General Licence.

GWCT are advising all shoots planning to release gamebirds on or within 500m of a Special Protection Area this summer to apply for a licence without delay. 

Further to yesterday’s blog, Defra has now published GL43, the general licence that permits the release of gamebirds on or within a 500m buffer zone of certain protected sites in England.

Defra wrote to GWCT yesterday afternoon (30^th May 2023) about GL43 - the General Licence which permits the release and management of gamebirds on and near European Protected sites which expired at 8.30 am today.

Those who control carrion crow, magpie and jackdaw in Wales, for conservation or to prevent serious agricultural damage, need to be aware of the changes being implemented in the new general licences being issued on the 1^st of July 2022.

On March 24th the NRW board met and voted in favour of approving several changes to the General Licences. The major change will see magpie, jackdaw and jay all removed from GL 004 – ‘Licence to kill or take certain wild birds for the purpose of conserving wild birds’ when the current licence expires after the 30th of June and the new licences are issued on the 1st of July.