BASC wildfowling conference-2017

BASC supporting wildfowling and wildfowling clubs.

Mark Greenhough-wildfowling officer

Introduction-BASC wildfowling policy

• BASC will do everything within its power to promote and protect the sport of wildfowling. It will encourage and facilitate entry to the sport, support and extend the club structure and represent the sport at all levels. BASC will furthermore oppose at all levels any restriction being placed upon wildfowling that is not, in the opinion of both the Council and its Wildfowling Liaison Committee, capable of being shown by clear evidence to be necessary for the future of wildfowling in the UK and the wildfowl and wildlife habitat on which wildfowling depends.

• Encourage and facilitate entry to the sport• Support and extend the club structure• Represent the sport at all levels• Oppose at all levels any restriction being placed upon

wildfowling

• Encourage and facilitate entry to the sport

Recruitment-BASC permit scheme

• Record number of clubs in the booklet• Confirmed Halton WA and Highbridge as new entries• 1,000 hard copies distributed annually • In 2015/16 the booklet was downloaded 4,500 times• The 2016/17 booklet went on website on 21st July and

already had 4500 hits as of end Jan.• BASC BIU survey revealed 30% of people who receive a

copy of the booklet go wildfowling• Receives regular coverage in S&C

Recruitment

• Go Shooting section of the BASC website - due for review• Feature articles in S&C promoting wildfowling• Clubs looking to recruit members advertise for free in S&C and

on Go Shooting• Links to club websites from the BASC website• Displays at shows and events-distribution of BASC permit

scheme

Member retention

• Wildfowling department actively working with clubs to improve retention

• BIU survey into club retention• Wildfowling team currently working with 10 clubs to provide

advice on retention– Club visits– Analysis of figures– Club report produced to identify future actions needed and

BASC support

• Support and extend the club structure

Club visit and contact

• Year Visits – target 50 Club contacts – HO– 20 a month (240 per annum)

• 2013/14 55 club visits 504 club contacts• 2014/15 49 club visits 359 club contacts• 2015/16 60 club visits 434 club contacts• Joint councils of wildfowling clubs regularly visited throughout

the UK• New clubs are affiliating to BASC• We have a wide variety of presentation themes to give at club

meetings, e.g. Recruitment & retention, rules & constitutions, BASC news update.

Wildfowling communication

• Shooting & Conservation in 2016– Four feature articles on wildfowling– Wildfowling news in all editions covering Greenland white

fronted geese, conference reports, permit scheme launch and much more.

– Also various wildfowling items on national and regional news pages, Robin’s Round articles, Taste of Game and Gundog vet references

• Six wildfowling Fast Track newsletters in 2016; each go to over 6000 wildfowlers

• Five letters to club committees on matters including subscription rates and online mapping

• Eighteen press releases relating to wildfowling published in last 12 months

• WLC-as of January 2016 BASC members can email committee members via the BASC website, promoted in the January 2016 fast track

BASC wildfowling club manual• Re-written and re-designed 2013, to be updated and

relaunched 2017• Comprehensive guide to running a modern wildfowling club• Forward planning• Rules• Recruitment and retention• Finance• Fundraising• Health & Safety

Leases and consents• In 2015 BASC worked with 13 clubs in England and Wales to secure 9 consent

renewals (7 in England) and continuation of 5 leases (4 in England), a total area in excess of 7,000 acres, including a new consent over 1,200 acres of foreshore on a major Lancashire estuary and reinstatement of Goldeneye on the consented quarry list for a site in Northumberland.

• In 2016 BASC worked with 13 clubs in England and Wales to secure 9 consent

renewals (7 in England) and continuation of 7 leases (5 in England), a total area over 11,000 acres including 10 year consent on 285 acres of mid-Essex coastline and new consents on 8 sites within Ouse and Cam Washes totalling 111 acres.

• During 2017, we have casework scheduled with 24 clubs on their lease and consent renewals in England and Wales (14 in England, 8 in Wales and 2 in Northern Ireland)

Wildfowling conference

• Conference Attendance• In 2016 37 clubs representing 3700 members• In 2015 39 clubs representing 4000 members• 2017 is the 29th conference

• Represent the sport at all levels

• APPG on shooting and conservation - BASC secretariat and organises wildfowling visits for MPs

• Africa Eurasia Waterbird Agreement. Controls quarry species

• FACE

• International Union of Game Biologists

• Joint Tidal Group – BASC secretariat • NE Partnership Agreement• Disturbance forum presented findings from the PhD at a

workshop in London attended by Crown Estate, JNCC, NE, NRW and Bournemouth University

• Goose Science Advisory Group (reporting to Scottish government)

• All other services BASC provide to allow members to have somewhere to shoot, something to shoot with and something to shoot

• BASC will furthermore oppose at all levels any restriction being placed upon wildfowling that is not, in the opinion of both the Council and its Wildfowling Liaison Committee, capable of being shown by clear evidence to be necessary for the future of wildfowling in the UK and the wildfowl and wildlife habitat on which wildfowling depends

• Marine conservation zones - reference areas. Shooting would have been banned. BASC ensured that government scrapped reference areas

• Greenland white fronted geese. BASC campaigned successfully to keep species on the quarry list

• Coastal access. BASC ensured that all affected clubs were consulted so that shooting could be protected

• Severe weather. BASC works with JNCC each year to agree the procedure in severe weather and ensure it is free from unnecessary restrictions

• Avian Influenza (AI)– Unprecedented number of outbreaks of H5N8– No restrictions on shooting– BASC in regular contact with government and

NGO’s– BASC member of expert ornithological panel– Regular updates to members, press releases,

website, etc.

• Natural Resources Wales (NRW) call for evidence on use of firearms on land it manages

• Originates from lobbying over animal welfare –Pheasant Shooting.

• Mindful that it is a call for evidence• BASC has depth of evidence – PhD, PACEC,

involvement with JTG • Advisory committees fully involved in formulating

response

Summary• Encourage and facilitate entry to the sport

– Permit scheme, website, S&C, member retention• Support and extend the club structure

– Visits, club contact, manual, leases & consents, communication via S&C, wildfowling conference, fast track, letters, press & WLC email contacts

• Represent the sport at all levels– AEWA, UK Govt, NE, FACE, PhD, GSAG

• Oppose at all levels any restriction being placed upon wildfowling– MCZ’s, GWFG, coastal access, severe weather, AI, NRW

Thank you