Meeting to be held on Saturday 11 September 2010 at BASC, Marford Mill, Rossett, LL12 0HL

Present:  

Lee Freeston – Chairman
Tim Russell – Secretary 
Janette Lowrie – Minute Secretary    
Mark Greenhough
John Harradine 
Matt Ellis
Alison Loram 
Graham Crompton Howe
John Graham 
Ken Ball
Alan Jarrett
Paul Evans
John Dryden 
Michael Rae
Richard Dicks
Graham Downing
Eric Begbie

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Mike Sherman, Richard Playle, Tom McGoldrick, Dave Nichols, Paul Culley and Phil Pugh.

Tim Russell (TR) introduced Alison Loram, Senior Research Officer to the committee.

2. Declaration of interests

No declarations of interest were made.

3. Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true and accurate record.

4. Matters arising not on the agenda

4.1 RPA mapping

A news item in the forthcoming Shooting and Conservation will alert clubs/members that discrepancies may exist between various maps.

4.2 BASC and land purchase

After the last meeting, as the Committee suggested, a small group met with John Swift. Following that meeting Alan Jarrett (AJ), John Graham (JG) and Lee Freeston (LF) put together an outline paper explaining why BASC should buy land. Given the importance of the subject it was decided that the best way forward was to seek guidance from a firm of land agents.  

Paul Williamson drew up an invitation to tender document based on the paper written by AJ JG and LF. The tender asked for a written report to answer pertinent questions about buying and owning land, an assessment of likely return on investment and capital growth, finally it asked for a recommendation as to whether or not purchasing land would be appropriate for BASC.

The invitation to tender was then sent to Smiths Gore and Strutt and Parker. Both firms were invited to the Mill to discuss the matter in more detail and ask questions prior to submitting a tender for the research.

Both companies submitted tenders, Smiths Gore were the preferred organisation and the cost of the research was approved by Council in June. Smiths Gore were given instruction to carry out the research on 16 June and their report will be discussed at the October Council meeting.

4.3 Sea Eagles

Natural England has given up this project as part of their cost cutting. The RSPB have suggested they might take it on at sometime in the future.

4.4 There was some discussion on the fact that the Forestry Commission (FC) say that woodcock are a threatened species and have removed them from being shot on some FC land.

TR has raised this with the FC and made the CLA and NFU aware so they can add pressure.  There are lots of changes happening at FC due to spending cuts and the situation may well change.

5. Coastal access

Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 makes provision for improving access to the English coast. It inserts new sections into the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, including a new Schedule 1A which provides for the process to be followed when a coastal access report has been submitted to the Secretary of State by Natural England.

A consultation took place in June 2010, on proposed regulations on representations and objections under Schedule 1A to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 as inserted under Schedule 19 to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.  This sought views on proposed regulations under Schedule 1A of the 2009 Act, setting out  procedures for advertising coastal access reports and giving notices, for making representations and objections about proposals in a report, and for the consideration of objections by an appointed person.

Speculation has emerged that the Coastal footpath has been ditched ,,as Defra will save £50m or more and has to make big savings under the new coalition Gov. No Official announcement from the NE coastal access team to this effect.

The 14 miles around Weymouth will be completed though ,  ready for 2012 .

6. Recreational disturbance study on the Humber  

A preliminary study has now taken place and the consultants have reported their findings to the Humber Estuary Management Scheme partners and the steering group. The study has identified the locations of shore based activities including walking, horse riding, cycling, bird and seal watching, motorised access and recreation, angling, bait digging and wildfowling and where these activities are perceived to be causing disturbance. It also provides a valuable overview of how recreational disturbance of waterfowl should be viewed, measured and its impacts assessed.

The second phase of the project, assuming funds can be secured, will be to identify the effects of the disturbance.

The BASC guidance on severe weather will be sent out to the committee.

7. NE guidance on consenting wildfowling   

All consents were in place for the start of the new season and in most cases the new guidance seems to be working satisfactorily. BASC has had meetings with Natural England since the last meeting and we continue to discuss the guidance with them.

There followed a short discussion on HLS and it is expected there will be reductions in agri-environment payments in the future.  There is a debate going on in Europe at the moment.

The committee were made aware by an attendee of discussions within NE regarding NNRs.

8. Update on AEWA and the huntable UK species  

John Harradine gave an overview of how the AEWA, through its Action Plan, classifies each waterbird population according to its conservation status and so identifies what level of protection is appropriate. He also demonstrated the importance of BASC’s role on the AEWA Technical Committee is ensuring such classification and conservation action is appropriate and science-based.

9. Lead        

John Harradine updated the Committee on the establishment of the Lead Ammunition Group and its Primary Evidence Sub-group, their terms of reference and work programme.

All the business of the LAG is posted on its website:  www.leadammunitiongroup.co.uk/minutes.

At a recent Wash Wildfowlers Joint Council (WWJC) meeting it had been agreed to ask both the WLC and BASC Council to urge BASC staff to utilise the research department to fully defend the use of lead shot in shooting sports. The WWJC representative indicated that JPH’s explanations had addressed a number of the concerns behind the WWJC request.

10. Post election public spending cuts and affects on wildfowling

This item was discussed and it was agreed that it would have a considerable affect on the future shape and work of government funded agencies - Natural England, Countryside Council for Wales, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Environment Agency in England and Wales and the Forestry Commission.  It is difficult to be precise as to how large cuts will be, but figures vary from between 25-40%.

11.  Wildfowling Conference

There was a discussion on how much BASC could charge day delegates. The committee agreed that increasing the cost to £20 for a day delegate was still excellent value and would apply for the next Wildfowling conference in March 2011. BASC would however still continue to work on sponsorship.   

Agenda items BASC are considering:

• Update on AEWA and the huntable UK species and the launch of the first AEWA adaptive flyway management plan: the case of the Svalbard population of pink footed goose by David Stroud from JNCC
• A detailed look at trends in a small number of huntable duck species with a focus on teal, based on a recent study by Richard Hearn WWT
• A presentation by Durwyn Liley from Footprint Ecology – the consultants who have done the Humber desk based study and the Exe study, discussing what is meant by disturbance; what factors are important; how can they be measured; how do they relate to each other; when does disturbance become "significant"; where does wildfowling fit in with other recreational disturbance; what management solutions are available.
• Planning Law and S106 agreements in relation to environmental/conservation off-setting, CAP reform and other issues that may be relevant at the time by Ben Sharples,  Burgess Salmon – a firm of solicitors who specialise in farming/land management matters.
• A speaker from Chudleys – the conference sponsors, talking about nutrition for the wildfowlers dog.

The committee added the following suggestions:

• Shooters experiences from overseas
• Guns, cartridges. (BASC has a good relationship with David Scott, Eley Hawkin – cartridge manufacturer
• Shooting experiences in the UK
• A talk by an expert to forecast where interest rates are going to be in 2 or 3 years time
• Jim Paice, MP, to talk about government policy on shooting
• Firearms legislation
• Geoff Roe – he a very good after dinner speaker – is he right for the conference?

12. Wildfowling communications

E news letter
The last issue went out in July.

Club visits
Mark Greenhough and Paul Williamson have had a full programme of club visits.

S&C
There is a good flow of items in but more are always needed.  If anyone has any items for S&C please contact Mark Greenhough or Jeffrey Olstead (BASC Head of Publications).

Wildfowling DVD – purpose and content
For the Green Shoots DVD we worked on the basis that a 20 minute film might cost in the region of £10,000, so we would be looking at a similar cost for the wildfowling DVD.
The committee decided the DVD audience would be clubs, local parish councils, non shooting groups, statutory agencies, local authorities, it could also be used at the start of meetings. 
The DVD could follow a fictitious character from childhood to adulthood and bring in all the different elements.  It should also include the conserving of wetlands and marsh clean ups. 

13. Any Other Business

13.1 Status of the Egyptian Goose

There was some confusion over the status of the Egyptian Goose.  The situation regarding licences was clarified.  

13.2 Coast Watch Wales

This is a scheme run in Wales by the police and coast guard.  It is a good scheme for clubs to become involved in from a PR point of view and also to put something back into the community.  An article with be written in S&C about this.

13.3 There was a discussion about the need to encourage clubs to review their rules on a regular basis. Mark will continue to mention this in his talks to clubs and joint councils.

13.4 The committee congratulated Lee Freeston on being re-elected to Council.

14. Date of next meeting

The date of the next meeting will be Saturday 26th February 2011