Calls to scrap shooting plans (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Calls to scrap shooting plans

9:10am Tuesday 21st July 2009 in News

CALLS to scrap plans to bring wildfowl shooting back to the Teifi estuary are being made by many organisations and individuals.

A consultation meeting with the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, which wants the right to shoot ducks and geese between Patch and Old Castle Farm, ended with an overwhelming vote to abandon the idea.

But BASC insists it will continue to develop its plan "while taking the objections into account".

Protests against the scheme, which has to be approved by the Crown Estates, have come from Afon Teifi Fairways, the Teifi Boating Club, St Dogmaels and Ferwig Community Councils, the Countryside Council for Wales and many local landowners on both sides of the estuary.

Pembrokeshire county councillor Ian Gollop, who proposed the motion to abandon the scheme, said: "Just one person voted against that and one abstained at the meeting. The overwhelming majority want them to just drop it. They should just give up the idea."

Jim Marsden, who represented both the Fairways and Boating Club at the meeting, said: "For both organisations the main issue is safety. The youngsters in sailing club sail all year round and they could be in the firing line. There has been no proper risk assessment for this.

"There is so much happening on the river now. Money has been spent in recent years to encourage people to use the Teifi estuary for all kinds of recreation – on and near the water at all times of year. There are new footpaths and accesses for example. Landowners have livestock nearby. There are roads nearby on both sides of the estuary."

Ferwig Community Council clerk Brian Gooch said: "The council’s main objection is that shooting on the estuary would benefit very few to the inconvenience of a great many people."

The Countryside Council for Wales has raised concerns about the possible disturbance of otters and has called for a full survey of how the river is used by all groups and individuals.

Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb said: "I am concerned at the level of disquiet and opposition coming from local residents about the proposal. I held an open surgery in the village and there was a strong view coming from the community that wildfowling is not appropriate on the proposed site."

Many locals have accused BASC of being secretive about the proposals and of trying to keep the consultation closed.

Cllr Gollop said: "I am a landowner on the riverside and I didn’t get a letter. There has been an air of secrecy about it. The whole thing was ill-prepared and suspiciously selective."

Meurig Rees, of BASC, said: "We don’t always get everyone first time, we sent out to all the landowners we know about. All the organisations we should consult with have been contacted and we have not been secretive."

He added: "We have taken on board what people have said and will look at the management plan again. It’s an ongoing process."