Natural England has announced there will be further restrictions on gamebird releases on several Special Protection Areas (SPAs) this year, following its latest Habitat Regulation Assessments (HRAs) for the sites. These HRAs consider the potential impact that gamebird releases will have on the designated species for each SPA, with particular focus on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) as Natural England is concerned that gamebirds may transmit HPAI to wild birds.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) is significantly concerned that the way Natural England undertakes its HRAs is fundamentally flawed. It only considers the single matter of potential avian influenza transmission and has admitted it does not consider the wider implications of removing game management and its associated benefits. Activities such as habitat management and predation management can reduce or cease entirely when gamebirds are not released, and these activities are proven to be incredibly beneficial to wildlife in the local area and crucially also to the designated species themselves. Conversely, if these activities are diminished then it can be incredibly detrimental to those species.
We are concerned that robust scientific evidence is being ignored, whilst anecdotal evidence and poor ecological assumptions are being used to make policy which will have negative consequences for designated SPA species and other wildlife in general.
In 2025, Natural England released guidance on which SPAs it was unlikely to grant licences on, and on which SPAs licences to release would likely be granted under certain conditions such as delayed release dates. This year Natural England has extended the list of SPAs where it is unlikely licences will be granted for gamebird release in 2026. These SPAs have been added to the list due to a claim that woodlark are now less migratory than they used to be and that these overwintering woodlark flocks may interact with released gamebirds. However, Natural England has also admitted that there are evidence gaps regarding the whereabouts of these woodlark flocks and their susceptibility to avian influenza.
The SPAs added to the previous list of SPAs where it is unlikely that licences will be granted are:
- Breckland SPA
- Sandlings SPA
- Thames Basin Heaths SPA
- Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons (Wealden Heaths Phase 1) SPA
- Wealden Heaths Phase 2 SPA.
The GWCT encourages shoots to read the updated guidance carefully and to get in touch with us if you have any queries relating to your specific shoot and the SPA you intend to apply for a licence to release game on or near.