Wildlife management and muirburn licensing in Scotland

What the changes mean in practice

If you manage a grouse moor or sporting estate

The Act has the most significant impact on grouse moor management. Its headline measure is a new licensing scheme for land used to shoot red grouse: since 22 July 2024 it has been an offence to kill or take red grouse (whether driven or walked-up) on land that is not covered by a section 16AA licence issued by NatureScot. If you run grouse shooting you must hold a current grouse-shooting licence and submit the annual return (due 31 January). A licence can be suspended or revoked where wildlife crime or licence breaches are established.

Muirburn — the controlled burning of heather that underpins grouse moor management — will require a separate NatureScot muirburn licence once that scheme comes into force. The Scottish Government has confirmed the muirburn licensing scheme is expected to start in Autumn 2026 (see the transitional arrangements below). Once it applies, burning on peatland more than 40cm deep will be permitted only for narrowly defined purposes such as habitat restoration or wildfire prevention, and gamekeepers will need NatureScot-approved training to operate certain traps, with each trap carrying a unique identification number.

If you have traditionally managed moorland through a combination of burning and predator control, you need to:

• Make sure any land used for red grouse shooting is covered by a section 16AA licence and that annual returns are submitted
• Plan to apply for a muirburn licence from NatureScot before your burning programme once the scheme opens
• Map your peatland depths to determine which areas are affected by the peatland burning restriction
• Ensure all gamekeepers complete trap operator training and hold valid identification numbers once those requirements commence
• Stop using snares and cable restraints — both have been banned in Scotland since 25 November 2024, with no "humane cable restraint" exemption
• Remove all glue traps and do not use them — Scotland's glue trap ban has no exemption for professional or estate use

If you are a farmer

Farmers using traps for pest control (such as controlling rats, stoats, or mink) must comply with the new trap licensing and identification requirements once they are commenced. The practical change is that you will need NatureScot-approved training before setting traps, and each trap must carry your identification number. Snares and cable restraints are now banned outright in Scotland (from 25 November 2024) — there is no compliant replacement device, so you must use other lawful methods of predator control.

If you run a pest control business

Scotland's glue trap ban applies to everyone: unlike England, it provides no exemption for professional pest controllers. The ban was brought into force by commencement regulations rather than taking effect immediately on Royal Assent, but once in force it is absolute. You must remove glue traps from all client premises and use alternative methods. Trap operator training and registration requirements will also apply to your operations.

General licences for bird control

Alongside the 2024 Act, NatureScot continues to issue annual general licences that authorise certain bird control activities without requiring an individual licence application.

What if you are already using methods that are now restricted?

The Act includes transitional provisions for some requirements, but not all:

• Glue traps: Banned with no exemption for professional pest controllers. The ban came into force through commencement regulations rather than on Royal Assent. Do not use glue traps.
• Snares and cable restraints: Banned in Scotland since 25 November 2024. There is no compliant replacement device and no transition period remaining.
• Trap licensing: Training and registration requirements will be phased in. NatureScot will publish details of approved training providers and the registration process.
• Muirburn licensing: The licensing regime will apply from the commencement date set by Scottish Ministers, expected in Autumn 2026 (when the muirburn season also changes to 15 September to 31 March). Until the scheme starts, the existing muirburn rules continue to apply.

The safest approach is to begin preparing now: book trap operator training as soon as it becomes available, and plan your muirburn programme on the assumption that licensing will be required.