An Update on Legal Snaring in Scotland (including the contents of the WANE Act 2011)
Recent changes to the law in Scotland will make a big difference to snaring, and this article hopes to keep readers up to date with current legislation.
It is important to remember that, at the time of writing, the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (WANE) 2011 is still up for discussion, and while everything that will follow in this post is currently law in Scotland, some of the finer points will be tweaked and altered as this year goes on. Updates will be posted on the Solway Feeders website as soon as they are released.
It is now adviseable that everyone using and setting snares in Scotland should have taken the GWCT or SGA course on fox and rabbit snaring. The course takes half a day and is followed by a simple exam and practical assessment.
After successfully completing the tests, the organiser of the course will send you a certificate by post which you can then use to apply to your local Police Wildlife Crime Officer for a unique reference number.
All fox and rabbit snares will have to include a small metal tag which features this I.D number, as well as the name of the species that the snare is set to catch. Legislation has not yet been passed on the precise details and specifications of this tag, so until it becomes law (at some point in the next few months), this part of the new Act can be ignored.
A record must be kept of all snares, and detailed notes must be kept of their precise location. If you find that your snares have been damaged or tampered with, do not be afraid to contact your local Wildlife Crime Officer. Interfering with legal pest control is an offence, and keeping in touch with the police may prove to be a real advantage in the long run.
In order to reduce the accidental capture of non-target species, current "best practice" guidelines insist that snares should be set between seven and ten inches off the ground, and that they should serve only to hold a fox or rabbit in place until it can be humanely dispatched.
Self-locking snares, kill posts and snares which are set in a location which could result in the hanging or drowning of the target animal are totally banned.
Snares should be checked not once a day, but at least once in every twenty four hours, and all captured target animals should be dispatched immediately. Non-target species can be released by using wire clippers.
Snares must be anchored either to the ground or to an immovable object such as a robust tree root, and a stop must be fitted to prevent the loop from closing fully. The specifications for stops are set at 9" from the eye for foxes and 5" for rabbits.
A detailed description of snaring law is delivered on the snaring accreditation course, and there are opportunities to discuss certain cases and situations with experts.
Owing to the change in the law, many people will be reluctant to continue snaring, but Solway Feeders aims to work with experienced professionals to design new snares and ways of using them which are not only legal, but which are more humane than ever.
As a final point, it is worth noticing that one of the main reasons why snares are at such risk of being banned outright is because of the weight of letters sent to MSPs demanding that snares be outlawed.
It does not take long to write a letter to your own MSP, explaining how snares can be a real asset to the countryside, promoting national biodiversity through vermin control. If a significant number of people write to the MSP in defence of snares, the situation will be greatly improved next time the question of snare legality is raised.
Please visit again soon for more information, and in the meantime, look into when the next snaring course is being run near you.
