An email from a countryside sports participant led to a proposal to expand hunting in the island.

Isle of Man Newspapers submitted an Freedom of Information request for the publication of all advice and proposals received by DEFA in relation to importing and extending the hunting season of grey partridges.

In the July Tynwald sitting, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot was seeking support for an amendment to the Game Act 1957. The change would have removed 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.

In our FoI request, we asked for the publication of all advice and proposals received by the DEFA in relation to Mr Boot’s motion.

In response, the DEFA released an extract from an email sent from a member of the public on January 6 of this year. The person who sent it said they were an ’avid countryside sports participant and an equally keen conversationist’.

confused

It added: ’I am confused regarding the current situation with regard to the ban in force or the taking of grey partridges in season on the current quarry species list.

’Surely if the aim of the ban is to allow the increase in the number of grey partridges across the island, then it would seem indefinitely more sensible to allow shooting provided that stocks of grey partridges are brought to the island.

’As a keen sportsman and part-time gamekeeper, I have a clear understanding that shooting of birds released for the purpose, never achieves a 100% success rate, and in fact even on well managed estates with full time keepers will only achieve at a maximum 50%.’

The person went on to say that with half the birds surviving, they would add to the wild population and breed.

He or she added: ’I would therefore be grateful if you would consider investigating the potential for the ban in force to be lifted in some format for estates that would consider bringing grey partridges to be released onto the estates for the purpose of sport shooting.’

Mr Boot’s motion on the Tynwald order paper said: ’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.’

After opposition from Tynwald members including Bill Henderson MLC and wildlife charities, much of which was disputed by the Manx Game Preservation Society, the motion wasn’t moved as the final sitting of the political year came and went.