The Act Overview
3.The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 (“the Act”) is intended to address raptor persecution and ensure that the management of grouse moors and related activities are undertaken in an environmentally sustainable and welfare conscious manner. The provisions in the Act implement many of the recommendations of the independent review of grouse moor management (which is sometimes referred to as the “Werrity Report”)(1).
4.Part 1 of the Act makes a number of provisions in relation wildlife management. This includes:
	a ban on the use, supply and possession of glue traps, unless authorised,
	a ban on the use of snares,
	the establishment of a licensing system for the use of certain wildlife traps (set out in more detail below),
	creating a licensing system for land on which the killing or taking of certain birds is to take place,
	enabling inspectors appointed under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 to search for, examine and seize evidence related to certain wildlife crime when exercising their powers under that Act.
5.Part 2 regulates the making of muirburn by extending the licensing system for muirburn. It now requires a muirburn licence at all times of the year and on any land on which muirburn is to be made.
6.Part 3 contains miscellaneous and general provisions relating to enforcement and review of the Act. Schedule 1 contains further provisions as to enforcement of the Act.
7.Note, the Act and these Notes make reference to Scottish Natural Heritage. It is a statutory body established by section 1 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991. Following a rebranding in 2020, Scottish Natural Heritage is now known as NatureScot. Its formal legal name remains unchanged however and so it is by that name that it is referred to in the Act.