Can you tell me about keepers' licences?

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Can you tell me about keepers' licences?

The activities of a keeper are varied, and the novice keeper will need certificates of competence.

By David Barrington-Barnes

Saturday, 04 August 2007

I am joining a small syndicate putting down pheasants, while other quarry includes duck, hares, woodcock and snipe. I will be helping out with keepering duties, including predator control but am unsure what licences I need to keep within the law?

A:

Obviously, if you use a shotgun and/or a rifle you must be in possession of relevant certificates, but the normal methods of vermin control may be carried out by a gamekeeper without holding licences personal to them and no licence is required to set out snares or use a trap line but both are subject to legal restrictions. You must be aware that avian pest control is authorised by general licence and mammalian pest control by statute law.

The activities of a keeper are varied, and the novice keeper will need certificates of competence to enable them to perform their duties in compliance with health and safety regulations. Examples of such certificates range from those issued for the safe use of quad bikes and chainsaws to the sale of wild game. It is important to realise that volunteer amateur keepers and their employers are covered by these regulations in the same way as professionals.

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