General Licences – Wales
New Welsh general licences will be published on Monday 7 October 2019
Natural Resources Wales has today (20 September) announced that it will publish new general licences for the shooting and trapping of pest birds on Monday 7 October 2019.
Once these new general licences go live the existing general licences will no longer be valid.
If you intend shooting or trapping pest birds under general licence on or after Monday 7 October it is vital that you have read and understood the legal changes that are going to take place.
Changes to bird species on the new general licences
GL001 – Prevention of serious damage to crops and livestock
This will no longer include collared dove, jay or rook.
GL002 – Preservation of public health
This will no longer include carrion crow, collared dove, jackdaw, jay, magpie, rook or wood pigeon.
GL004 – Conservation of wild birds
This will no longer include Canada goose, feral pigeon or rook.
The purpose of this general licence will be restricted to the conservation of the chicks and eggs of only those wild bird species listed in an Annex at the end of the general licence. This list will include grey partridge and red grouse.
Restrictions within or near protected sites in the new general licences
The new general licences will not apply in, or within 300 metres of, 203 protected sites in Wales. In addition, for one protected site – the Dyfi Estuary SSSI – the General Licences will not apply within 500 metres of the site boundary. The list of protected sites where the new general licences do not apply will be published as an Annex at the end of each of the general licences and the locations of the excluded areas will be available online.
More information on the new general licences
Click here for for a Natural Resources Wales briefing on the new Welsh general licences
BASC is currently carrying out a detailed review of the changes and more information will be published on this web page as soon as possible.
Latest press releases – Wales general licences
