Natural Environment Bill must not threaten conservation investment from game shooting

Scottish Parliament

BASC Scotland director, Peter Clark, reflects on work carried out behind the scenes by BASC on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill and looks ahead to what comes next.

BASC was in the Scottish Parliament again this week, this time to follow the proceedings of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill. 

The Bill focuses on a number of areas around environmental standards, biodiversity targets and of course, deer management. The latter is a part of the Bill that BASC Scotland has been heavily involved in, with amendments lodged to improve the wording of the proposed legislation to meet our members’ concerns.

Yesterday, Parts 1 and Part 2 of the Bill were debated (which deal with setting biodiversity targets and changes to legislation dealing with environmental impact assessments and habitats). These have been increasingly in the spotlight, with recent attempts to restrict gamebird release, by some MSPs, in Scotland.

Debate sparked about ‘vital role’ of game shooting

Amendments lodged during the course of the Bill by Scottish Greens, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have sparked a debate about the vital role game shooting plays in the countryside. 

The amendments in question seek tighter controls on gamebird release, despite the clear and well-evidenced benefits that sustainable game management brings to rural Scotland.

During this week’s first session to discuss proposed amendments to the Bill, Convenor Finlay Carson MSP and Rachael Hamilton MSP both quoted BASC’s natural capital report findings to reinforce how shooting and conservation work hand in glove, with £176.6m worth of investment from shooting in Scotland going to directly into conservation.

It was therefore welcome that during the debate Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, put on record that existing legislation already provides “a number of powers to take action to protect biodiversity,” – a point strongly emphasised by BASC in its briefings to MSPs.

Follow-up meeting requested

BASC has already met with the Scottish Government to discuss gamebird release and we have requested a follow-up meeting to discuss further how important game shooting is to conservation.

Shooting remains a cornerstone of Scotland’s rural economy. Game shooting alone accounts for nearly 60 per cent of all shoot days in Scotland. The sector contributes an estimated £760 million to the economy, supports 4,400 full-time equivalent jobs, and generates 270,000 trips and 910,000 visitor nights each year.

Habitat management carried out for gamebirds – often voluntarily – brings an additional £177 million in environmental benefits.

Jim Fairlie with Peter Clark
Jim Fairlie MSP (pictured right) with Peter Clark (left) at the Scottish Game Fair 2025

Landmark research report

BASC’s landmark research report, The Natural Capital Benefits of Shooting, demonstrates that sustainable gamebird release plays a direct and measurable role in supporting biodiversity. 

We were glad to have the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie MSP launch the report at the Scottish Game Fair, highlighting these facts and figures.

Land managed for pheasant and grouse shooting typically shows improved woodland and hedgerow structure, greater habitat diversity and enhanced cover crop management. These efforts contribute directly to carbon sequestration, nature recovery and wider public wellbeing.

Ministers have recognised that these activities are already highly regulated, with strong self-regulation and compliance, and that the evidence shows positive outcomes for wildlife habitats and carbon capture.

‘Paramount’ importance of gamebird release

Looking ahead to the next debate on amendments at Stage 2 and 3, it is paramount that the importance of game shooting for conservation, rural economies and jobs continues to championed by policymakers. 

Any attempt to undermine the work of BASC members and those managing shoots could have disastrous effects for rural Scotland.

BASC Scotland looks forward to meeting with Scottish Government officials ahead of the next stages to ensure shooting and conservation remain a priority, as the backbone of the Scottish rural economy.

Next week’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee session will focus on deer management amendments, where BASC has tabled substantive amendments to challenge plans for mandatory training for all deer stalkers and the removal of intervention powers based on the vague terms of ‘nature restoration’.

For more on this story and other news from BASC Scotland, head to our dedicated pages here.

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