Interim license published for release of pheasants and red-legged partridges

Article summary

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has released its summary of responses to its consultation on its plans to add the common pheasant and red-legged partridge to Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This addition prohibits their releases on European Protected Sites and within a 500 m buffer zone around them except under a licence. Following the consultation, it has been decided that from 31 May 2021, the release of the common pheasant and red-legged partridge will be prohibited on European Sites and within a 500 m buffer zone around these sites except under a licence. To release these species within these areas it will be required to comply with the conditions of general licence GL43.