Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Game

Abolition of game licences and game dealers’ licences

35.  Part 4 of the Miscellaneous Transferred Excise Duties Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (c. 11) (game licences and game dealers’ licences) shall cease to have effect.

Sale of game

36.—(1) In the Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928 (c. 25) after section 7 insert—

“7AA.    Sale of game taken unlawfully

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he sells or offers or exposes for sale or has in his possession or transports for the purposes of sale any game—

(a) which has been taken or killed in circumstances which constitute an offence under this Act, any of the enactments listed in the Schedule or the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985; and

(b) which that person knows or has reason to believe has been so taken or killed.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.”.

(2) In the Game Act 1831 (c. 32), section 4 (offence of buying, selling or possessing birds of game after 10 days after expiration of season for killing, etc.) shall cease to have effect.

(3) In the Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928 (c. 25), the following provisions shall cease to have effect—

(a) section 5 (marking of game in transit);

(b) section 7(4) (offence to buy or sell game during close season).

(4) In the Wildlife Order, Article 23(1) (dealing in venison by unlicensed person) shall cease to have effect.

Special protection for game

37.—(1) The Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 7 (close seasons) after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A) If it appears to the Department expedient that any game birds should be protected during any period outside the close season for those birds, the Department may make an order with respect to the whole or any specified part of Northern Ireland declaring any period (which shall not in the case of any order exceed 14 days) as a period of special protection for those birds.

(3B) This section shall have effect as if any period of special protection declared under subsection (3A) for any game birds formed part of the close season for those birds.

(3C) Before making an order under subsection (3A) the Department shall consult a person appearing to the Department to be a representative of persons interested in the shooting of game birds of the species proposed to be protected by the order.”.

(3) In section 7C(1) (special protection order for game) after “purchase” insert “or possession”.

Hare coursing

38.—(1) A person commits an offence if he—

(a) participates in a hare coursing event,

(b) attends a hare coursing event,

(c) knowingly facilitates a hare coursing event,

(d) permits land which belongs to him to be used for the purposes of a hare coursing event,

(e) nets hares for the purpose of a hare coursing event,

(f) transports hares for the purpose of a hare coursing event, or

(g) holds hares for the purpose of a hare coursing event.

(2) Each of the following persons commits an offence if a dog participates in a hare coursing event—

(a) any person who enters the dog for the event,

(b) any person who permits the dog to be entered, and

(c) any person who controls or handles the dog in the course of or for the purposes of the event.

(3) A “hare coursing event” is a competition in which dogs are, by the use of live hares, assessed as to skill in hunting hares.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.