A HOLYROOD debate on legislation seeking to regulate the grouse shooting industry in Scotland and ban the use of snares is set to go on late into the night.
On Tuesday, MSPs are scheduled to debate the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill for the final time.
If passed, the bill will move on to gaining royal assent before officially becoming law.
The bill seeks to introduce a licencing scheme for grouse moors in Scotland and further regulate its associated activities, such as the trapping of wild animals including foxes, weasels, rabbits and crows.
READ MORE: Shooting group urges minister to keep snares legal in Scotland
It would also introduce licencing for the use of muirburn – the intentional burning of moorland vegetation, which is controversially used by gamekeepers to maintain habitat for red grouse.
MSPs are set to begin debating more than 100 proposed amendments at 2pm on Tuesday.
It’s hoped MSPs will have made their way through all of the amendments by 9pm, allowing the bill to be ready for a final debate and vote on Thursday.
Conservation charities and campaigners have called for further regulation on grouse moors for years, claiming the practice is environmentally damaging and linked to the illegal persecution of birds of prey.
Indeed, RSPB Scotland has previously estimated that 35 satellite-tagged birds of prey disappeared on Scotland’s grouse moors between 2017 and 2022.
However, shooting groups and gamekeepers claim the current bill is “unworkable”.
Last week, the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) wrote to Rural Affairs Minister Jim Fairlie urging him to back last minute changes to the bill – including allowing the use of snares with a licence.
A coalition of groups calling for reform of grouse moors accused BASC of "a last ditch attempt to water down this legislation".
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