Council withdraws support in facilitating wildfowling permit scheme

MORAY COUNCIL is withdrawing its support in facilitating a permit scheme for wildfowling in Findhorn Bay.

Mediation, which the council agreed to in June last year, began in autumn and although significant progress was made, a final agreement could not be reached between all interested parties. It was expected that, if negotiations were successful, it would be the precursor to a further voluntary permit scheme being operated in the next season at the local nature reserve.

However now the council will step back until an agreement has been reached between the parties involved in the negotiations, which came after a poor uptake of voluntary permits in the 2017/18 season. Just 23 permits were applied for, out of an estimated 100 local wildfowlers.

Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, said: “Regrettably mediation has concluded without any satisfactory resolution. As a council we have invested thousands of pounds in this process to date, but as this latest attempt has been unsuccessful we are faced with no other financially-viable alternative. We will withdraw our support in facilitating a permit scheme and won’t be in a position to re-engage until a way forward can be agreed.

“I would like to thank all involved for their co-operation so far, but urge them to continue to work towards a compromise.”

Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live. Nestling between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Moray stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.