Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill: business and regulatory impact assessment

4. Options

Option 1 – Do nothing

This option would mean that the Bill would not be implemented.

Under this scenario, a move towards a more humane wildlife and rodent control, and more environmentally sustainable land management would depend mainly on additional voluntary action by industry and individuals. The impacts of this option on individual areas, that are aimed to be addressed by the measures proposed under the Bill, are outlined in sections 6, 7, and 9 below.

Option 2 - Adopt the provisions of the Bill

Implementing the Bill would bring forward the following provisions;

• ban the use and purchase of glue traps;
• introduce licensing and training requirements for certain types of wildlife traps;
• introduce a licensing regime for land used for the shooting of red grouse; and
• introduce licensing for all muirburn, regardless of the time of year that it is undertaken. Muirburn on peatland will only be permitted in very limited circumstances.