General Licence 014
Licence No: GEN / WCA / 014 / 2024
Valid From: 1 January 2024
Expiry: 31 December 2024
Licence to permit the incubation of eggs and rearing of chicks of captive bred schedule 4 birds for up to 15 days without registering.
This licence, granted under Section 16(1) (e) and 16(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), by the Natural Resource Body for Wales otherwise known as Natural Resources Wales (NRW), being satisfied that as regards the purpose set out at paragraph 2 that there is no other satisfactory solution, permits authorised persons to carry out a range of activities against the birds of the species listed and hereby grants the following licence which applies only in Wales.
1. This licence allows the incubation of an egg of a captive-bred (defined in condition 1 below) bird listed in Schedule 4 of the Act and the keeping of the resulting hatchlings for up to 15 days, without the requirement for registration, so as to allow the young birds to reach a sufficient age to bear a ring, for the purpose of aviculture.
2. Subject to the conditions below this licence permits:
(a) the keeping of a captive-bred Schedule 4 bird without ringing or registration for a maximum of fifteen days after hatching.
The works noted above are licensed for the period as stated above and are granted subject to compliance with the conditions as specified. Anything done otherwise than in accordance with the terms of the licence may constitute an offence.
Iwan G. Hughes, Team Leader Species Permitting
Signed for and on behalf of Natural Resources Wales.
Conditions
1. Any bird incubated under this licence must have been bred in captivity. A bird shall not be treated as being bred in captivity unless its parents were lawfully in captivity when the egg from which it hatched was laid. Documentary evidence of captive breeding must accompany any temporary transfer for incubation purposes.
2. A person incubating Schedule 4 eggs shall keep a record of all live chicks hatched. That record shall contain the following information;
(a) the date and place where the egg was hatched;
(b) if the person incubating the egg is not the owner, then the name and address of the owner of the hatched chick must also be included.
3. Any person incubating and hatching live chicks of Schedule 4 birds must send a copy of the record collated, within three months of the hatching, to the Centre for International Trade: Bristol, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH email wildlife.licensing@apha.gsi.gov.uk
4. The incubator of any Schedule 4 bird shall if requested by an Official of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, or Natural Resources Wales, or a Police Officer, produce the completed records as required by paragraph 6.
5. The incubator of any Schedule 4 bird will, if requested by an Official of the Animal and Plant Health Agency Natural Resources Wales, or a Police Officer, make the bird available for a sample of blood, tissue or feather to be taken from the bird to be sold. Blood samples will be taken by a qualified veterinary surgeon. Such a sample may be used to establish the ancestry of the bird.
6. The incubator of any Schedule 4 bird shall permit entrance at any reasonable time an Official of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Natural Resources Wales, or a Police Officer, to enter any premises used for the purposes of;
(a) inspecting the premises where the chick is kept; and
(b) inspecting the chick.
7. No person convicted of an offence to which this paragraph applies may use this licence unless, in respect of that offence, either (1) they were dismissed with an admonition, or (2) they are a rehabilitated person for the purposes of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and their conviction is treated as spent. A person may also use this licence where, in respect of such an offence, a court has made an order discharging them absolutely. This paragraph applies to offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Deer Act 1991, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, the Hunting Act 2004, the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (all as amended).
8. Failure to act within the purpose of this licence as set out in paragraph 2 or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the licence may mean that the licence cannot be relied upon and an offence could therefore be committed. The maximum penalty available for an offence under the Act is a level 5 fine (£5,000) and/or a six month custodial sentence.
Notes
1. Section 7(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides that it shall be an offence if any person has in his possession or under his control any bird included in Schedule 4 which has not been registered and ringed or marked in accordance with regulations made by the Welsh Government. This licence allows the incubation of any egg of a Schedule 4 bird, which produces live young, without requirements to register hatchlings with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, for a maximum of fifteen days after the chick has hatched. Normal registration and ringing requirements apply once the period of 15 days has elapsed.
2. A licence in similar terms has been issued by Natural England in respect of England and by the Scottish Executive in respect of Scotland.
3. This licence may be modified or revoked at any time.