U.K. Fast Tracking Legislation To Ban Trophy Imports

[AfricaHunting.com]

Member Alert


Dear SCI Member:
Over the weekend we became aware of an effort to fast-track an importation ban on many, if not all hunting trophies into the UK.

The move was announced by the Minister for International Wildlife Zac Goldsmith. Under the new policy, hunters from the UK will no longer be able bring heads, skins, or other body parts of wild animals from around the world.

On Sunday, Safari Club International sent a letter to Minister Goldsmith and others outlining our great concern over the pending move along with several recommendations including the essential component of engaging with the environmental ministries of the countries that manage the wildlife that will be affected by a potential ban, including Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was emphasized that these countries should be consulted in order to fully understand the impact that a UK importation ban will have on the success of their conservation efforts.

At the same time, a second letter was sent to the embassies and ministers of the seven African countries that would be affected, notifying them of the issue and offering assistance in making contact with UK officials.

Additionally, a Member Alert has been issued to SCI chapters in the UK urging them to contact their Member of Parliament to express their objection to the proposed ban.

Recently 133 wildlife experts, in a letter to SCIENCE Magazine, placed scientific evidence over subjective sensitivities to recognize the importance of hunting in wildlife conservation. The authors also advised governments not to take actions that would undermine existing well-managed hunting programs. Although some of the wildlife experts admitted their personal discomfort with hunting, they noted that a "conservation policy that is not based on science threatens habitat and biodiversity and risks disempowering and impoverishing rural communities."

Should you have friends or associates in the UK wishing to making their voice known, please direct them here to find their MP at this link: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

They should act quickly and make sure their MP:

1. Listens to the locals who manage the species
2. Understands that revenue from legal hunting is used to fund conservation efforts
3. Recognizes that poaching is the real threat

Source: Safari Club International (SCI)

 

[BRICKBURN]

December 16, 1773

 

[norfolk shooter]

Well guys this might be the end of it for me. This is what I have written to my local MP ( yes I took a bit from the SCI notice).

Dear Ms Truss,
As one of your constituents I urge you to consider the grater ramification of what this ban could do for wildlife not just in Africa but in other places too. Has anybody from the government waited to see what the countries where the hunts take place have to say about what this can potentially mean?
Dictating what should and shouldn't go on in African countries is what this seems like. Cultural imperialism at is best; wrapped in a nice blanket of animal sympathy and it seems topped with a smattering hatred of humans who have different thoughts. What next are we going to ban the big pheasant shoots we hold in our amazing county of Norfolk? People come from all over the world to shoot hear. Not to mention the revenue generated in rural Scotland with the hunting or red stags there.
Recently 133 wildlife experts, in a letter to SCIENCE Magazine, placed scientific evidence over subjective sensitivities to recognise the importance of hunting in wildlife conservation. The authors also advised governments not to take actions that would undermine existing well-managed hunting programs. Although some of the wildlife experts admitted their personal discomfort with hunting, they noted that a "conservation policy that is not based on science threatens habitat and biodiversity and risks dis-empowering and impoverishing rural communities."
And yet every year tens of thousands of middle aged and older men go on "bloke's tours" to Bangkok etc and no one seems to mind, let alone the reason... Which is more important? Virtue signalling your opinion against a few dozen exercising a perfectly natural human instinct that will often advantage the local ecology and fauna due to £ investment or mass and indiscriminate screwing underage kids? The mismatch in seriousness between these two matters is simply breathtaking. If you've got to wail why not wail about something that's actually a major and seriously nasty problem as opposed to something that's so infrequent that it doesn't really feature in the overall scheme of things?
I urge you to listen to the countries this concerns. If it was unsustainable they wouldn't allow it to happen. There is scientific evidence proving that trophy hunting is a useful conservation tool.
Yours sincerely

 

[TheGrayRider]

Every time I read an article or post on what Great Britian and other European countries are implementing against outdoorsmen and gun owners, I am so grateful that I am an American.

Our founding fathers were geniuses implementing the Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights.

God bless the USA! We ain’t perfect but sure as hell have a better life and more rights than many other developed countries.

 

[Borderer]

It seems the UK trophy hunting ban is progressing again now, with a second reading in Parliament today. From what I read, there was very little said in support and a Conservative MP even compared the desire to hunt in Africa on the same level as the desire to abuse children. Not looking good unfortunately and it seems there is almost no notice taken of African governments or people with any real experience.

I should contact my MP but I am certain my letter will be ignored, I don't think many MPs would dare stand up to this.

I thought there might be some movement after the SA presidential visit last week.

 

[mjona]

Very bad news, thank you for the update

 

[geoff rath]

I'm thinking of the "roll-on" effects from this; already the shooting sports are no longer part of the Olympic or Commonwealth Games in the UK, I further think of the British sportsmen pursuing game at home, or visiting hunters wishing to take their trophy deer out of the country. What of the bespoke/specialist guncrafters, will they be closed down? This is the start of a long, slippery slope for the British firearms industry...

 

[Pheroze]

Is there any update on this legislation ?

 

[sierraone]

Is there any update on this legislation ?

I believe, this whole cluster was put on hold while Boris was still in there. But since he has been "exiled" now for a few months, I would guess someone, maybe his wife's father, (both POSs in my biased opinion) a politician has started the push once again. At this point I have heard nothing recently about this subject. I have to admit though that I don't keep up much with British news.

 

[Borderer]

I believe, this whole cluster was put on hold while Boris was still in there. But since he has been "exiled" now for a few months, I would guess someone, maybe his wife's father, (both POSs in my biased opinion) a politician has started the push once again. At this point I have heard nothing recently about this subject. I have to admit though that I don't keep up much with British news.

Unfortunately not, passing through parliament at the moment. I believe it is now at the committee stage. We also have a debate on prohibiting some traps and snares in January and there is a proposal (which probably won't get in to law but could) to increase the cost of a five year firearms licence to £500 ($400) in Scotland, so lots of challenges, much more so in Scotland. Scotland are also looking at tightening the rules on fox control and are trying to implement a massive reduction in deer numbers. They justify this by citing rewilding, but it basically amounts to a way to control the use of private land and reduce recreational hunting in my opinion. The place we stalk have now reduced their cull by 50% as numbers have fallen so much, mainly due to what amounts to a shoot on sight policy on local rewilding projects. A neighboring estate has been sold as deer and game numbers fell so dramatically that they could not support the staff anymore. It has now been purchased by manufacturing company as a carbon offsetting scheme and the new owners have implemented a ban on all predator control and a cull of all deer, which is having a real affect on the neighbouring landowners and the local population, as there are very few jobs.

I think the main issue we have in the UK is that there is so much infighting in the shooting and hunting community that it is difficult to put up any resistance, particularly after many of our pro hunting pressure groups came out in support of a lead ban on scientific grounds which then led to a massive loss of support from thier members. It is looking very likely that lead shot and bullets will be banned here in the very near future. Most game dealers now have a voluntary lead ban in place, not that I have really noticed a lot of difference with copper anyway.

 

[geoff rath]

Seems to me that Great Britain ain't so great anymore

 

[Borderer]

Seems to me that Great Britain ain't so great anymore

Probably like most urbanised countries. We are still lucky in a lot of ways though. Hunting is probably fairly cheap and available compared to a lot of the world.

Just very challenging and no clear voice representing our interests.

 

[Borderer]

Labour’s trophy hunting ban is confused

Labour’s election manifesto promised to ban the importation of hunting trophies. This is part of a campaign spearheaded by animal rights activists in Britain. It is well-intentioned, and driven by a wish to protect endangered species. But it just happens to be entirely counterproductive. Trophy...

www.spectator.co.uk

Looks as though it is starting again…

 

[GuttormG]

Seems to me that Great Britain ain't so great anymore

Fast tracking into a s*****le country.

 

[PerH]

In the News , looks like Mr C P himself shot a self goal when he called the hunters barbarians or so . And that comes under discrimination act of 2010 against hunters as we are a protected minority. And covered under that act

So lawyer may be something there .
( saw it on a weekly uk hunt program )