The Back Page: WARNING Shooting & Fishing Next Targets? - Gary McCartney, CAI

As promised in the last issue this page will be devoted to giving a platform to members of the country sports fraternity to raise issues of concern to them in a robust fashion. The views expressed are the views of the author and are not necessarily the views of the editorial team of the magazine.

This issue's platform is given to: Gary McCartney, NI Director of Countryside Alliance Ireland.

I first met Mr John Blair at the launch of the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle not long after taking up his position as an Alliance Party MLA. I was obviously naturally wary of his presence due to the party stance on aspects of county sports and land management. However, I was reassured by my colleagues, who pointed out John had come from DAERA Inland Fisheries and that he had done a lot at the fair to promote angling notably the catch and release.

During his address John said not once but twice “country sports have a friend in me.” I had hoped this new face in the party would have brought some balance and could be someone to help the party, which appears to have been influenced by animal rights groups, better understand the need for wildlife management, in addition to the conservation and economic benefits this brings.

Unfortunately, this was not to be the case and whilst we were in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 virus with case numbers increasing daily, John decided to start the public consultation process to introduce his Private Members Bill to Ban the Hunting of Wild Mammals with Dogs.

It appeared to many in the country sports community that this consultation was in name only, leading to a predetermined outcome, given that it was open to anyone no matter where in the world they happen to live. In explaining this proposed new legislation, evidence was ignored when inconvenient and selective references from Lord Bonomy’s review of the Scottish law used that were entirely at odds with that report’s findings. It did not say why this legislation is needed and was based on what can only be said to be a questionable polling and not on scientific evidence.

For example, Lord Bonomy, in discussing hunting as an activity and method of wildlife management reaches very similar conclusions to the earlier Burns Inquiry. His findings support the continued use of packs of hounds for pest control and confirm the view that the restrictions on hunting in Scotland are not supported by the evidence. His findings also highlight how the Hunting Act in England and Wales, with its twodog limit, is even more arbitrary and without an evidential basis than the law in Scotland.

Even more concerning is the fact that there was little engagement with a wide range of highly relevant stakeholders including ourselves and notably the Ulster Farmers Union, whose members would be directly affected by his proposals, and wider stakeholders who are interdependent on hunting. It would also seem that a social and economic impact assessment has not been undertaken.

We have to take into account dedicated hunt

Gary McCartney

staff, some of whom have young graduate to the highest echelons of hunter and hunted. Even members of the families to support. What has been done National Hunt racing, both in Ireland Burns Inquiry, including Lord Burns, to establish how these people and their and the UK, for example ‘Looks Like have publicly said that their report did families will be affected? Some could Trouble’ who won the Cheltenham Gold not conclude that hunting with dogs can even be left homeless if John’s ban is Cup and was bred in Northern Ireland. be deemed cruel. successful. In the last year alone These point-to-point horses are It should never be the case that unemployment in Northern Ireland has important in terms of the continuing public representatives attempt to impose increased by over 10,000. worldwide reputation of Irish horses. the will of a vocal minority upon the

Again, we have to look at the other The sale and export of these horses is majority of a country, not least when services interconnected with hunting - the main income of most horse that support might be considered to lean farriers, veterinary surgeons, feed breeders. Without the overseas interest heavily on views from outside NI and merchants, insurance companies (for this industry would be negatively and on the biased views of animal rights animals, employees, members and irreversibly affected. activists for its validity. grounds/ buildings), various saddleries The 2019 Deloitte report found that In closing, we must ask where this and grooms to name but a few. the overall Equine industry in Northern animal rights agenda ends. Look at the

We also have the thoroughbred Ireland is estimated to generate £212 grounds of John Blair’s proposals and at industry in Northern Ireland. Hunts million of direct and indirect the recent report by an animal rights throughout Northern Ireland hold race expenditure, over £200m of this total is group backed by a handful of Tory MPs, meetings: ‘point-to-points’. These have on the cost of keeping, riding and which recently claimed recreational been described as “the lifeblood of the training horses, the largest items being angling is making fish suffer. Again, racing industry in Ireland.” There are livery/training (£37m), feed (£26m) and these are allegations not backed by 12 point-to-point courses in Northern £21m on transport and equestrian science and robustly challenged by the Ireland and races are held here either equipment respectively. Angling Trust. once or twice a season. These generate Last year was a ‘write off’ for most Once on this moral crusade road an average turnover of £21,500 per businesses and the first half of 2021 is what choice will the Alliance Party have meeting. To run a horse at one of the looking the same. Add in Brexit, but to attempt to stop or restrict other race meetings they need to have difficulties importing goods from our country pursuits. We only have to look obtained a ‘Hunter Certificate’, these main trading partner and the ongoing at the proposed amendments by some cost £50 each and there were 2,836 uncertainty of the pandemic and it’s MLAs during the passage of the Welfare issued throughout Ireland. relevant to ask if these businesses afford of Animals Act in 2011 to realise that in

It is reasonable to question, as is another blow at this very difficult time. spite of Mr Blair’s assertions this Bill often the case with animal rights Some try to claim hunting is cruel, could issue threats to shooting and activists, whether any thought has been yet many vets state that the use of fishing. given to the knock-on effects of their scenting hounds is natural for both Gary McCartney proposed actions. If hunting is banned, how long will it be before National Hunt racing is put under the scope?

We have the very successful horse export industry in Northern Ireland, with a total of 401 registered breeders in Northern Ireland in 2018. Ireland and Northern Ireland are world renowned for their breeding of both thoroughbred and Irish Sport Horses. Point-topoints are vital for the breeding and training aspects of the sport. Many horses that start their racing life at point-to-points The local hunt is an integral part of most rural communities.