Signs restricting shooting on council land go up at Findhorn Bay

Signs to enforce a shooting ban have been erected on council-owned land on Findhorn Bay.

This follows a decision by Moray Council’s Economic Development and Services Committee on the 5 September to support the voluntary wildfowling permit scheme proposed by the Findhorn Bay Local Nature Reserve Management Committee. Full details of the permit scheme is  here

In addition to the permit scheme, the Council reaffirmed its position that shooting will not be permitted on Council-owned land. The law states that in any event shooting should not take place above the Mean High Water Mark.

Anyone shooting in this area is committing a criminal offence and should be reported to Police Scotland. Access to permissible shooting areas across this land is allowed, however.

Chair of the ED&I committee, Cllr John Cowe, said he hoped the wildfowlers will respect the council’s position the same as they would any other landowner.

“The exclusion of our land from wildfowling still leaves a large area of foreshore, between high and low water marks, for legitimate activity,” he said.

The wildfowling season started on September 1^st and lasts until February 20^th.

The voluntary permit system introduced for this season will be reviewed after February 20^th to ascertain its effectiveness. The permits were introduced following protests about wildfowling from a group called Friends of Findhorn Bay.

Leader of Moray Council, Cllr George Alexander, has urged wildfowlers to get behind the scheme.

“It is in the interests of all those who enjoy the Findhorn Bay to ensure that this voluntary system works,” he said.

“Reasonable people should be capable of arriving at a reasonable agreement without resorting to the law.””

A downloadable map showing the areas owned by the council is available under 'related material' below.