Reducing disturbance to waterfowl during severe winter weather

For many species of bird, and especially for waterfowl, mid-winter can be an ecological "bottle-neck" when they have difficulty obtaining enough food, particularly in severe cold weather when the ground becomes frozen. They face reduced prospects for survival during such times. In addition, many waterfowl will have flown to Britain to escape from even colder conditions in continental Europe. Lengthy spells of cold weather result in many birds showing changed behaviour. They become "tame" and reluctant to fly when approached in order to avoid using up their remaining energy reserves. In these circumstances, it is important to reduce any disturbance, such as that caused by waterfowl shooting, because when the birds cease feeding and fly around, they use up their limited energy reserves more quickly. When several periods of severe weather occur within a short time scale, voluntary restraints play a particularly important role because it allows populations to recover from stress.

When more than half of these meteorological stations (in Scotland and/or England/Wales) have recorded frozen conditions (determined from minimum air and grass temperatures) for seven consecutive days (but allowing short periods of thaw), the country conservation agencies liaise with BASC who normally advise a period of voluntary restraint of shooting where appropriate whilst severe weather conditions last.

On the 13^th day of frozen conditions, if more than half the relevant meteorological stations are still frozen, a case is presented to the relevant Secretary of State(s) requesting a suspension on waterfowl shooting due to the severe weather. Such suspensions can be instituted in Scotland alone, and/or in England/Wales dependent on the extent of the cold weather. Once the Statutory Instrument has been signed, it comes into force at 9 am, two days after the case was presented.  

With respect to the agreed process of counting days of severe weather, short periods of thaw (one or two days with less than half stations frozen) have no effect on the counting process, but periods of thaw of three or more days have the effect of resetting the day number to 0. Such short periods of thaw are 'neutral' in terms of counting days towards a suspension - that is they neither count nor terminate the process.

Publicising restraint and suspension

Calls for voluntary restraint of waterfowl shooting will be advertised on the websites of JNCC, BASC, and various conservation organisations. In addition, BASC will email all its wildfowling clubs and shooting syndicates calling for voluntary restraint in waterbird shooting in those parts of the country where necessary (and warning of the possibility of a statutory suspension if conditions persist).

Once a case has been presented to the Secretary of State(s) advising a statutory suspension of waterfowl shooting, the impending suspension is publicised as widely as possible. BASC informs all its wildfowling club secretaries, Joint Councils and game shooting syndicates, issues press releases to all newspaper, sporting magazine, radio and television editors and institutes a 24-hour telephone information service in all regions of the country. Similarly DEFRA, Welsh Assembly Government and Scottish Government, as appropriate, issue press releases and place public notices of the suspension in the following newspapers:

Efforts are made to have such notices included on national and regional television and radio news and weather programmes. JNCC and other conservation organisations will publicise the suspension on their websites.

In accordance with Section 26(5) of the Act, the advertisement is placed in the London Gazette, when the Order affects England and Wales.

How long does the suspension last for?

A statutory suspension of waterfowl shooting is for an initial period of 14 days.

Information on the condition of waterfowl should continue to be reported through completion of the bird condition form to aid review.

The ban is examined after seven days. If the weather conditions have improved and the forecast is for a continuation of this improvement, then, in consideration with other factors, the lifting of the ban can be recommended. However, if there has been no thaw and the weather is still severe then the ban continues for the full 14 days.

Any lifting of the ban before the full 14 days will take into consideration the need for a period of recovery for waterbirds after the end of the severe weather itself. In this event, DEFRA, Welsh Assembly Government and/or Scottish Government undertake publicity campaigns as extensively as possible to inform the shooting community of the fact.

There can be an extension of the suspension beyond 14 days, through the signing of a second Statutory Instrument, if there is still severe weather and no improvement in weather conditions is forecast. The management of the second period of suspension is undertaken in the same manner as the first.

The role of conservation staff

Country Conservation Agency contacts (see principle organisational contacts below) are responsible for agreeing with BASC if a period of voluntary restraint is required once the 7^th day of severe weather is reached. The country conservation agency contacts should also liaise with their respective government, and, in the event of an imminent statutory suspension, have the responsibility to provide them with formal advice to implement the statutory suspension.

A network of representatives from the Country Conservation Agencies, shooting and game keeping associations and various conservation organisations are alerted by the Met Office of periods of severe weather. It is their responsibility to disseminate this information to their regional staff, shooting clubs and syndicates and other users of waterfowl habitat, to encourage them to minimise disturbance to birds and to provide feedback on local conditions by completing the bird condition forms available to download on this website.  They should pay particular attention not only to the foreshore and freezing of inland waters and feeding grounds, but also to the condition of birds, bird numbers and movements, appearance of unusual species, significance of wind chill and to snow cover.

An important role of conservation staff is the publicising and encouraging of compliance with any call for voluntary restraint, or statutory suspension. In addition it is very important for them to encourage reduction of other forms of disturbance, for example bird watching, bird ringing, walking, dog-walking, horse-riding and water-based sports. Conservation staff should raise awareness of this where possible, and consider altering access routes in particularly vulnerable areas.  

Further information

Principal organisational contact points

Download Statutory Suspension of Wildfowl Shooting in Severe Winter Weather

• Download these guidelines (PDF, 55 kb)

 

    Download bird condition observation form:

• Download Acrobat version (PDF, 24 kb)
• Download Rich text format version ( 72 kb)

 

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