Supporting bird of prey professionals since 2015
Following a legal challenge DEFRA has been forced to revoke three General Licences for Bird control with immediate effect.
GL 04, 05 and 06 licenses are affected by this change.
DEFRA is ‘working at pace’ to put a new system in place.
A present bird controllers wishing to undertake bird control activities for the relevant species will need to seek Individual Licences.
Full DEFRA statement is here:
“Raptor Awards and the IRBPP are extremely pleased to have been able to support Project Lugger with a donation from our funds this year.
Sadly, this delightful little falcon is in serious decline in its natural environment, and is desperately in need of help”.
If you feel able to support Project Lugger please make a contribution using the button below. Thank you.
The Lugger (sometimes known as the Laggar) Falcon is endemic to the Indian sub-continent and has previously ranged from Afghanistan in the north to the tip of India.
Sadly both its range and numbers have reduced in recent years and this once common falcon is becoming increasingly rare.
Fortunately, well-known falconer and committed conservationist Bob Dalton has been instrumental in developing Project Lugger, a captive-breeding programme supported in the UK and abroad by falconers and others who care enough about the plight of this falcon to commit their time and resources to the continuing survival of the Lugger Falcon.
This is a special year for the International Association for Falconry and the Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF) who celebrate their 50th anniversary this year.
We are pleased to confirm that Derek Hartshorne, Director Raptor Awards CIC will be attending the International Meeting and Council of Delegates , where we have been granted ‘observer status’. This is a great honour for us, as well as a fantastic opportunity to renew old acquaintances and meet new Falconers from across the world, and to promote the work of both Raptor Awards CIC and the IRBPP.
The International meeting is being hosted by the Deutscher Falkenorden in the medieval city of Bamberg. Bamberg is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The bird of prey community in England is still trying to come to terms with the requirements of the new Animal Activities Licensing regulations which passed into UK law in April this year.
The requirement for inspection of premises holding birds of prey for commercial breeding, or for the training of birds of prey for ‘exhibition’ is not in itself a bad thing as this should lead to improved welfare for raptors. However, the lack of consultation by Government with the bird of prey community and important decisions being made without the input of knowledgeable bird of prey professionals has led to a set of regulations that are not fit for purpose.
Sadly the Hawk Board (the UK’s official voice of the bird of prey community) was completely side-lined during the consultation process and was not invited to take part in the drafting of the new regulations. This has led to much criticism of DEFRA the UK government body responsible.
The new rules come into force on October 1st 2018. (March 2019 for existing holders of Performing Animals Licences’).
In response to an overwhelming vote in favour at The National Conference of bird of prey professionals, Raptor Awards CIC is currently developing document packs, guidance material and other training material to help those bird of prey keepers affected by the new regulations to make the transition to the new regime as painless as possible.
You can’t have failed over recent weeks to have noticed that something has been going on with the way organisations handle personal data.
An EU ruling has meant that any person or body holding ‘attributable personal information’ now has to apply new rules and procedures when collecting, using, or sharing data.
Whilst this has created quite a lot of work in understanding what’s required and then implementing changes, we are pleased to confirm that we met our new obligations well in advance of the deadline.
We have published a brand new Privacy Statement which is available from the menu bar. This sets out clearly how we will deal with any information that we hold about you.
Because of our ‘ongoing relationship’ with members we were exempt from some of the more onerous parts of the new rules, however, we still chose to apply the full range of improvements to ensure that we have done the best we can to safeguard your information and to deal openly and honestly with our members.
Please feel free to read our new Privacy Statement at your leisure.
IRBPP Member services.