BASC issues statement in response to RSPB hen harrier report

In response to the publication of the RSPB’s report on hen harriers, BASC has issued the following statement:

“BASC, alongside other rural organisations, is a signatory to a zero-tolerance declaration on the illegal killing of birds of prey. We have always strongly condemned such activity; it has no place in our community and those convicted should face the full force of the law. We make it unequivocally clear that any member convicted of wildlife crime will be expelled. 

“However, the RSPB’s report once again conflates suspicion with fact, presenting unproven allegations as evidence. These claims do not withstand independent scrutiny. Based on publicly available data from Natural England (NE) and RSPB, of the 294 tags fitted to hen harriers between 2013 and 2024, less than five per cent, or fewer than 14, have been listed as ‘confirmed persecution’. Policy must be driven by robust, objective evidence, not emotive headlines.

“The UK government recognises the environmental and economic value of well-managed grouse moors, and we welcome its continued support for sustainable grouse shooting. Grouse moors support around 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs and contribute over £52 million in management spending annually, with further significant investment in rural suppliers and contractors.

“These moorlands, carefully maintained through grouse management, support up to 1.8 million hectares of upland habitat, where iconic species such as curlew, lapwing and golden plover thrive. Scientific studies show that breeding densities of these birds are significantly higher on managed moorland than elsewhere.

“Proposals for a licensing system based on a civil burden of proof risk punishing the law-abiding without due process. Nor should we criminalise a whole sector of responsible and committed conservationists based on the crimes of a small minority. Instead, we support constructive, evidence-led solutions such as NE’s Hen Harrier Action Plan. 

“BASC has contributed £200,000 to the plan since 2020, working in partnership with government, conservation bodies and land managers to secure meaningful outcomes for hen harriers. That approach is working – in 2023, 141 hen harrier chicks fledged in England, the seventh consecutive year of population growth and the highest number recorded in over two centuries.”