Licence updates April 2023
From 1 April 2023, changes will be introduced to the current wildlife licence scheme. These include the addition of new categories of licence for:
- the use of wild bird traps
- annual survey activities of bats and other protected species
- the short term possession of injured animals or birds for rehabilitation and release
- annual habitat management work affecting protected species
- educational activities requiring the disturbance and handling of certain reptile and amphibian species
- the trapping of small mammals for scientific purposes
- tree surveys and the use of endoscopes by tree surgeons
From 1 April 2023 fees will be payable for the following licences:
- annual survey licences
- gull control licence
- pheasant control licence
- tree surgeon survey licence
- mitigation licence for development
- bird control licence for air safety
Further details regarding the proposed wildlife licence changes can be obtained by emailing wildlifelicensing@gov.je.
When you need a licence
Currently you must have a valid licence to undertake activities that would otherwise be illegal under the wildlife law. This includes:
- picking a protected plant
- disturbing, handling or taking a protected species from the wild
- interfering with the nest, den, breeding site or resting site of a protected species
You also need a licence to use certain methods of capturing non-protected species of wild animal or bird.
The wildlife law sets out the conditions under which licences may be granted. These include licence activities specific purposes such as:
- conservation, scientific or educational reasons
- enabling lawful development
- preserving public health or safety and to prevent serious damage or the spread of disease
- photography
A licence will only be granted provided that the proposed action is necessary, that there no alternative lawful course of action, and that it will have no detrimental impact on the population of the species concerned.
Applying for a licence
You can apply for a licence by emailing wildlifelicensing@gov.je.
gov.je