Thank you for your campaign e-mail regarding the proposed ban on the use of snares featured in the Agriculture (Wales) Bill.
Nature is in crisis across Wales and we must tackle biodiversity loss - e.g. see my speech from paragraph 344 in: Plenary 30/06/2021 - Welsh Parliament (assembly.wales).
This includes:
“The 'State of Nature Report 2019' found that one in six species in Wales are threatened with extinction and the latest 'The State of Natural Resources Report' summary finds that ecosystem resilience in Wales is declining in line with global trends.”
and:
“The review of the wider biodiversity and ecosystem benefits of Curlew recovery and applicability to Wales—a report commissioned by Natural Resources Wales—states that papers provided a diverse array of evidence showing that Curlew recovery would benefit multiple species, both directly and indirectly, underpinning our understanding of curlew as an indicator species.”
Curlew is the UK’s highest conservation priority bird species.
Working with Gylfinir Cymru/Curlew Wales (a broad partnership of organisations committed to preventing the extinction of Curlew in Wales), I have learned that predation of nests and chicks by apex predators is a primary cause of breeding failure – see the attached RSPB presentation and paragraph 1.6 in ‘A Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew’ – see: https://www.curlewwales.org/_files/ugd/c301ad_8aa71dc8ad034ae6866404a297f0db80.pdf.
I have visited Curlew recovery projects run by conservation charities trialling various interventions, and seen that breeding recovery is dependent upon a package of measures to both address habitat quality and influence predation.
I have also been shown humane cable restraints and briefed on how they differ from a traditional snare, on their research-led design and on the adoption of good operating practices through training.
Nest camera data showing nest predation (which I have viewed) is unequivocal. The management of Wales’ apex predators is vital to the conservation of ground-nesting species like the Curlew.
The snares of yesteryear are not acceptable, but this serious problem must have a serious solution.
The vast majority of people in Wales want action to tackle the nature emergency.
We face a stark choice – extinction of multiple further species, or a range of urgent intervention measures to reverse biodiversity loss.
Yours sincerely
Mark Isherwood MS/AS
North Wales/Gogledd Cymru