Tynwald will next week be asked to approve a proposal to allow the importation of grey partridges, so they can be shot.

Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot is seeking support for an amendment to the Game Act 1957.

The change would remove the extra closed season for grey partridge hunting (October 1 to January 1) and bring it in line with our partridge hunting by having a closed season from February 1 to September 12 of each year.

Mr Boot’s motion on the Tynwald order paper said: ’While there have been no sightings of the grey partridge on the island in recent years, there is demand from farmers and landowners on the island to be allowed to import and maintain flocks of grey partridges for the purposes of shooting.

’Grey partridge have specific and well-researched habitat requirements and, while such habitats are present on the island, these habitats are currently fragmented.

’The reduction in the closed season for grey partridge will encourage the improvement of habitats for such birds, to the benefit of other wildlife, improving the island’s biodiversity.’

However, Bill Henderson MLC, a long-time conservationist and champion for Manx wildlife, has told the Courier he has written to Chief Minister Howard Quayle requesting that Mr Boot be instructed to withdraw his motion from Tynwald.

Mr Henderson condemned the move, saying he believes this ’contravenes the Tynwald approved government biodiversity strategy set in place and indeed could place stress on our biosphere status’.

He added: ’Bringing these lovely birds here to be shot to death is appalling as far as I am concerned. They are not really native to the island and are only here as a result of previous game hunters bringing them here in the 17th century. A tiny population has hung on since then - down to possibly two birds now.

’It also has the potential to put stress on our biosphere status in my view as we should be demonstrating how we are protecting, conserving and enhancing our environment and natural habitat - what we have here already and promoting Manx Biodiversity - ’the natural stuff’ we have on our island, which is local and indigenous as a maximum priority.’

He also said that if the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture were to allow the island’s environment to be managed for ’alien’ species, it may displace the indigenous animals already on the island. He asked: ’As the only biosphere designated nation - is this the image we wish to portray to the outside world?

’We do not and should not be involved with the indiscriminate killing of animals for sport under the umbrella of conservation - it is clearly a wrong and an outdated policy from a hundred years ago.

’Many of our protected and rare local bird species are in serious decline and this has the potential to place those under further threat.’