To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what communication has been delivered (i) publically; and (ii) individually regarding (a) the laws and penalties around the persecution of certain breeds of birds of prey, in particular with groups and organisations who regard these birds as a threat or pests; and (b) the benefits and enjoyment that can be had from the survival and thriving of these birds.

My Department delivers the majority of its wildlife crime awareness publicity, including that relating to birds of prey, through its work the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime, Northern Ireland (PAW NI). This partnership approach to providing information to the public is more productive with the combined partners’ memberships and social media following, leading to a potential audience exceeding half a million people across Northern Ireland.

The membership of PAW NI comprises representatives from government departments, conservation organisations, farming and country sports bodies enabling messaging to be conveyed back to their memberships. There is a separate PAW NI raptor sub-group, which brings together those organisations with a particular interest in birds of prey.

Through this work the Department has helped develop and fund 12 wildlife crime leaflets, with another two in development. These leaflets cover the common wildlife crime issues, aiming to inform the public what a wildlife crime is and how to report it. The Department funds and maintains the PAW NI website which hosts general advice on what constitutes a wildlife crime and how to report it, links to the leaflets and reports detailing incidents of wildlife crime impacting birds of prey and badgers across Northern Ireland.

All our birds of prey are protected under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. The Department has published a layman’s guide to wildlife law called, ‘Wildlife Law and You’ and this provides a generic overview for the public of a complex area of legislation. This publication is available on the DAERA, PSNI and PAW NI websites, as well as linked from many of those of our partners.

NIEA Wildlife Officers answer a large volume of telephone and email enquiries from the public. They also attend a number of public events throughout the year were they get a chance to meet and talk to the public and various interest groups. They promote key messages on birds of prey being an important component of our ecosystems, acting as important indicators of the general state of our biodiversity and health of our environment, and their vulnerability to persecution. Where a group or organisation requests a talk on an appropriate topic, DAERA staff will endeavour to accommodate these requests.