Open Season for Woodcock

The UK woodcock population is declining, with resident woodcock being particularly threatened. The petition requests delaying the shooting season to protect these birds through their breeding season. A national survey in 2013 found 55,000 male woodcocks, but numbers are believed to have declined since then.

The plural of woodcock is woodcock, and the voluntary ban on using lead shot has not been completed yet. Mr. Wiggin highlighted the importance of habitat in maintaining woodcock populations, suggesting that shooting is not the primary issue. He mentioned that 10% of the estimated 1.6 million migrant woodcock arriving in the UK are shot each year and questioned why this does not lead to a decline in wild populations globally. Asked whether climate change should be considered before setting anything in legislation regarding the woodcock shooting season.

Emphasised the importance of considering both the woodcock population and broader wildlife issues in the UK. Mentioned climate change's impact on bird habitats and highlighted the role of habitat management for pheasant shooting. Argued that voluntary actions have been beneficial and further regulation might not be necessary.

The shooting community already has voluntary restraint measures and is actively managing habitats to protect woodcock populations. Changes to the hunting season should be considered alongside other conservation efforts such as deer management and habitat restoration.

The Member for North Norfolk highlighted the importance of protecting breeding woodcock populations due to severe declines. He noted that approximately 55,000 pairs remain in the UK and up to 100,000 are shot annually, indicating another dramatic decline. Duncan Baker argued that woodcock, unlike game birds like pheasants, are not a substantial food source or pest, and suggested limiting the shooting season as an initiative to support this red list species.

Mr. Smith questioned the necessity of new legislation, emphasizing that the shooting community is already responsible and focused on conservation. He cited statistics showing an annual migration of between 1.4 million and 1.6 million woodcock to the UK, with the IUCN red list classifying the species as one of least concern. He argued against restrictions on shooting due to its economic benefits and contribution to wildlife habitats.

Jim Shannon, a country sports enthusiast and conservationist, highlighted the positive impact of shooting on habitat creation for birds like woodcocks. He mentioned that shooting contributes £2.4 billion to the UK economy annually and provides 3.9 million workdays in conservation efforts each year. He argued against regulatory changes, stating there is no evidence that shooting has a detrimental impact on woodcock populations and voluntary restraint measures are already effective.

There is an all-party parliamentary group on lead ammunition which I co-chair; Bill Wiggin would be welcome to join. Kerry McCarthy questioned why a voluntary approach is sufficient when shooting organisations accept that shooting woodcock before 1 December is wrong.

Wild Justice's petition highlights the need for urgent action to protect woodcocks, with figures showing that nearly half of woodcocks are shot before December. The SNP supports pushing back the start date of the shooting season.

She expressed support for the petition signed by 370 of her constituents and highlighted that the native woodcock population has reduced by 19% in the last decade. She called for proactive measures to protect and extend habitats, such as moving the open season for woodcock to December. Olivia also questioned the Government's progress towards planting 30,000 hectares of woodland per year and the need to increase tree-planting capacity.

Mr Goodwill acknowledged his role in introducing the petitions system and discussed the importance of scientific research for wildlife conservation. He highlighted that shooting practices have positive ecological impacts, such as supporting ground-nesting birds like woodcock. He noted declining populations due to factors including global warming, habitat degradation by deer, and predation from raptors. Mr Goodwill also mentioned high levels of voluntary compliance with delayed start dates for the hunting season. Mr. Goodwill supported Mr. Wiggin's argument, citing the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' practice of predator control as an example of managing wildlife to protect certain species.