The Poole harbour oil spill will need monitoring for years

11 April 2023

Although initial fears around the Poole Harbour oil spill have been calmed, eventual long-lasting effects are still unknown. Andrew Livingston reports

As I write, it has been 12 days since a ruptured pipeline at Wytch Farm expelled more than 30,000 litres of reservoir oil into Poole Harbour.
By all reports the clean-up, overseen by the Poole Harbour Commission (PHC), has been successful. The public are back on the beaches and in the water and no serious harm seems to have occurred to the rare birds of the area.
While most of the surrounding population heaves a great sigh of a relief, there is a small community of boats moored, with no purpose till further notice.
‘Let’s hope they clear it up fairly soon. I think we are fairly optimistic.’ Pete Miles, owner of Dorset Oysters, told The BV. ‘We are on stop until further notice really.’
Soon after the news broke of the oil spill from Perenco’s site into Ower Bay, the PHC announced that, with immediate effect, any shellfish harvest could not be retailed, transported or marketed – effectively locking down the local shellfish industry.
Testing of the shellfish has been ongoing, but as Pete understands it, no results have yet been announced. ‘The last I heard, a couple of days ago, [they] should be back within seven to ten days … As all these things are when it comes to food – oysters particularly – it’s always precautionary.’

Whole season impact
Dorset Oysters is normally 100 per cent self-sufficient in Poole Harbour, but to keep the business going, Pete has been buying oysters in from Jersey. The oysters Pete usually sells aren’t actually wild, they are grown at a sister company, Othniel Oysters, a farm in the harbour. Like all farmer’s crops, there’s a limited window when they can be harvested.
‘It will be worrisome if we can’t get into this year’s stock. What will happen is [they] will keep growing. If we can’t harvest them, then they grow to a certain size and they’re just not marketable. They simply get too big.
‘Once the water warms up and the plankton and the algae bloom then the oysters will grow quite quick … It’ll be a couple of weeks and [then] once they start we need a good, fast turnaround.’
In the short term, all the shellfish fisherman want is to get out to the oysters, cockles and clams to keep their businesses trading.

Long term impact
There is, however, a long term danger – not only to the molluscs of Poole Harbour, but the ecology as a whole. Emma Rance has 20 years experience of marine biology and conservation and believes that the monitoring of the shellfish in the harbour will have to continue for years to come.
When she heard the news of the oil spill she felt ‘utterly saddened and disappointed’.
She says: ‘This should not occur. Oil farms are regulated to operate using the strictest of control measures. We would not expect this to happen.
‘Poole Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world and is home to some rare and protected species ranging from seabed-stabilising eelgrass, beautiful peacock worm beds, a sea bass nursery area, both species of seahorse and many other habitats and species of conservation importance.’
Before setting up her own marine consultancy business, Noctiluca Marine, Emma worked with the Dorset Wildlife Trust and contributed to Dorset Council’s emergency Oil Spill Contingency Plan, with other government agencies and NGOs.
‘There is no full understanding on the long-term impact of petroleum hydrocarbons on the marine environment. Research has shown that this kind of pollution is known to affect species survival, reproduction and ability to function normally plus many other concerns.
‘‘Oil spills can impact habitats, locking the pollution deep into sediments, allowing for slow release over a long period of time.’
Perenco, the owners of Wytch Farm, have set up a claims line for anyone affected by the spill.
In a statement, Frank Dy, the general manager at Wytch Farm, says: ‘Any spill is an extremely serious matter and a full investigation will be launched to ascertain what happened in Poole Harbour. It is important to stress that the situation is under control, with the discharge of fluids stopped and the spill is being contained.’

Oil Spill Timeline

26th March
Pipeline at Wytch Farm fractures, spilling oil into Ower Bay
PHC activates its emergency oil spill plan
A major incident is declared and agencies including Dorset Police, Dorset Council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, NHS, Environment Agency and Natural England are involved.
Fishing, swimming and other leisure activities in the harbour are prohibited.

27th March
7am – More than 100 people were out assessing the shoreline and harbour, undertaking shoreline cleanup.
60-70% reduction in oil sightings in the water from drone footage.

28th March
3pm – 30 slightly oiled birds found in the harbour, reported by RSPB

29th March
Clean-up teams recovered 14,000 litres of oil/water mix and approximately 1,500kg of oil sediment.
Key stakeholders in the shellfish industry are advised not to market shellfish harvested from Poole Harbour since the oil spill.

30th March
A further 31,000 litres of liquid recovered overnight.
Oil found washing up on the beaches of Brownsea Island

31st March
An estimated 100,000 litres of oil/water mix and two tones of sediment recovered.
Excavation of broken pipe begins
Oil found washing up on Arne Nature Reserve

2nd April
Perenco set up a claims line for those affected by the oil spill
140,000 litres of oil/water mix and more than five tonnes of contaminated beach/soil material have been recovered

4th April
Estimated 160,000 litres of oil/water mix and more than six tonnes of contaminated beach/soil material have been recovered
People are once again allowed to swim and fish in Poole Harbour

Spring? Is that you?

Editorial team

10 April 2023

The Thorngrove team are feeling the rush of spring, says Kelsi-Dean Buck, caused by a bit of sunshine and a rush of colour in the courtyard

Well Spring is finally here! It’s taken its time, though. It felt like we had a stunning Mother’s Day weekend (I actually sat on the lounger in my garden and felt warm!), but slipped swiftly back into a wintery feel in the air… However, as I write this the sun has finally shown up. And I’m happy to report that garden-mode is now fully activated!
I’ve not had a garden space to call my own for very long, so I’m actually excited for the arrival of warmer weather and to get out and make use of it again!

Lupin month
Thorngrove’s plant of the month for April is lupins. Native to North and South America, there’s over 200 species of these flowering plants which are from the legume family. Often used in garden design due to their showy structural flowers, they come in a variety of colours including pink, purple, blue, yellow, and white. Some can grow up to 5 feet tall, and they do require well-drained soil and full sun to thrive. Don’t forget that lupins are a great source of nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Planting lupins in your garden will help attract these beneficial insects and promote a healthy ecosystem in your own garden.
Secret Garden
Our new menu in the café should be launching soon after this month’s BV goes ‘to print’, so please keep an eye out for that. We’ve been welcoming lots of new faces at The Secret Garden Café and it feels like word has really been spreading about the amazing food we have available. A huge credit goes to Ben and his team in the café for making it one of Gillingham’s highest reviewed cafés on Google. Indoor seating is available of course, but we’ve also revamped our outdoor patio in anticipation for the warmer weather, so please do stop by this spring with friends!

Coming up
At Thorngrove this month we’re hosting Children’s Crafts (at time of writing spaces are already filling up so please book to avoid disappointment!). We’ve also announced open days for Employ My Ability, happening May 16th and 17th – book your guided tour today! At EMA we offer vocational qualifications and work experience to young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and Thorngrove functions as a campus for our students. Find out more on our website! employmyability.org.uk/

California dreaming!

Editorial team

10 April 2023

Like all astrophotographers, the March skies meant that Rob Nolan had an impossible month – but he did capture a stunning nebula in February

Well, its official, it was the wettest March we’ve seen since 1981. Which means it’s the wettest March I’ve ever seen!
I don’t think myself or any of my fellow Astrophotographers managed to collect any images last month, and we were all extremely grumpy because of it! We live in hope of some cloudless and moonless nights in April to reinvigorate us and to try and capture some data as the days grow longer and the nights grow shorter. The worst thing about the bad weather, is we all tend to get bored and go and buy more equipment to make ourselves feel better! Never a good thing!
My image this month is one I shot back in February, and turned out to be my last nebula shot of winter as we are now giving way to galaxy season again.

The California Nebula
A large emission nebula stretching across almost 2.5 degrees of the night sky, the California Nebula (NGC1499) is in the constellation Perseus. It is so named because its shape is reminiscent of the outline of the US state of California on a map.
The Nebula stretches about 100 light years across. Despite its huge size and visual magnitude of 6.0, the nebula is still very difficult to observe visually because it has a low surface brightness.
However, when photographed using Narrowband filters which pick up hydrogen, sulphur II and oxygen lll emission bands, details come alive on this massive structure. I’m always in awe when zooming in around the high resolution version of this image to see all the different shapes that create this truly stellar nebula.
It was discovered by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard – renowned for his catalogue of dark nebulae and his pioneering work in astrophotography – in 1884. This image was captured with my 1000mm Maksutov Newtonian Telescope and the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro Astro camera with Narrowband filters and is about 8 hours of data.

The night sky, April 2023 – Rob’s guide for your stargazing this month:

Now that the spring equinox has come and gone, we start to see the nights get shorter; always a sombre time for astronomers! Thankfully though, there’s still plenty of astronomical darkness in April to keep us entertained, clouds permitting!
Since the clocks went forward, there’s more chance that we’ll be back home from work and settled as night falls, so now is a really good time to take a look at our three nearest neighbours ton view in the evening sky; Mercury, Venus and Mars.
It’s a really good time to try to observe Mercury, which never strays far from our sun and follows a very tight oval-shaped orbit, completing one year in just 88 Earth days.
Imagine having to go through Christmas dinner and all the trimmings every 88 days!
The fight for the title of brightest object in the night sky this month includes stars from several constellations. Regulus in the constellation Leo, Spica in Virgo and the unmistakable orange glow of Arcturus in Boötes.
One of the prominent constellations this month is Virgo, with its Y-shaped appearance, it’s the second largest constellation in the night sky. The glory of Virgo , so named because the pattern traditionally represents a victorious maiden holding an ear corn, lies in the ‘bowl’ of the Y shape. If you scan the upper region with a small telescope at a low magnification, you’ll find this part of the constellation packed with faint, fuzzy blobs. These are just a few of the 2,000 galaxies that make up the gigantic Virgo cluster.

Dates to remember
Events to make a note of this month include observing our local neighbourhood, starting on the 11th as brilliant Venus is positioned left of the Pleiades.
Wake up early on the 16th to catch Saturn above the crescent Moon before dawn.
We’ve got an excellent chance of observing the Lyrid Meteor shower this year on the night of the 22nd to 23rd of April. This is because the Moon isn’t in the way to obscure the display, so it’s definitely one to watch if the clouds oblige!
The Lyrids appear to emanate from Lyra – a small constellation named to represent the lyre of Orpheus in the northern sky –as we pass through debris from Comet Thatcher.
On the 23rd, look towards the crescent moon at twilight and you’ll see Venus, hanging like a pendulum below the clock face of the Moon.
Finally, on the 25th, you’ll be able to observe Mars close to the Moon, next to stars Castor and Pollux.
Until next time, clear skies!

Where have all the dentists gone?

Editorial team

10 April 2023

It’s now a common cry: ‘Does anyone know of an NHS dentist?’ But why is the lack of NHS dental care such an issue? Rachael Rowe investigates the problem in Dorset

When was the last time you saw a dentist? Are you even able to access an NHS dentist?
With NHS dentistry becoming harder to find – but across the entire country – what is happening to the provision of dental health care?
‘After many many months of searching and calling and emailing different dentists, I am yet to find one taking on NHS patients. I have a severe need to see an NHS dentist as I’m really unable to eat because of the pain which has led to weight loss and other health complications. I am a young adult who doesn’t work currently due to disability and illness and am unable to pay for private dentistry treatment which I have explored too.’
Patient comment, in the Healthwatch Dorset report.

The pink dots show the 93 Dorset dentists registered on the NHS website, highlighting the gap in provision in Purbeck, and the north west, mid and north east of the county.

How many see an NHS dentist?
Data from NHS England shows that fewer than half the adults in the South West have seen a dentist in the last two years. If they end up with a problem, chances are they will not be able to access NHS dental care. Healthwatch Dorset has recently published a report on the state of dental access in the county. The recent survey of Dorset’s 93 dental practices found that, at the end of 2022, none was taking new NHS patients.
So what is happening and how is care being prioritised?
Healthwatch Dorset manager Louise Bate explained what had caused her most concern about the report: ‘Last year when we did this questionnaire there were three dentists taking patients. This year, there are none. It’s getting worse. Even if the contracts are changed, there are no dentists.’
Of the 78 dental practices that responded to the Healthwatch survey, none was taking new NHS adult patients, 17 now only treat private patients and only 18 were accepting new NHS patients if they are children. Seven practices said they were accepting patients with additional needs, and 23 practices had waiting lists, half of which were more than 12 months long.

Dorset’s below average
Maps indicate that there are dentists in North Dorset, but they are not taking any NHS patients right now.
The South West Dental Reform Group is a network which sets the strategy for NHS dentistry in the west country, including Dorset. Membership includes regional and local staff. Their assessment of future needs in Dorset identified several significant issues for the future of dentistry. For example, by 2028, Dorset’s population will have increased by three per cent – or an additional 23,708 people. While the child population will have decreased by six per cent, older adults (65+) will have increased by 18 per cent, or 35,504 additional people.
So, in addition to finding dentists to serve more residents, there will also be a need to provide extra services to manage the complex dental needs of older people.
Louise identified a further issue. ‘Because of the way the dental contract is currently set up, dentists see the easiest people to manage – those needing basic check ups. That means it is much harder for people with complex needs to get an appointment.’
How many people can actually get to see a dentist? The SW Dental Reform Group reviewed the data and found that access to children’s dental services in the last year was 48.9% in below the average for England (53%) average. Access to adult NHS dentistry in Dorset is also below the national average at 45.6% (England average 47.1%). That’s a significant gap between those who should be able to see a dentist and those who don’t or cannot.

Testimonial from Healthwatch Dorset report

How is dental care funded?
Until April this year, NHS dentistry was commissioned by NHS England. From April, dentistry is under the control of the local Integrated Care System (ICS). Louise is encouraged by this: ‘I’m more positive now the ICS is taking over responsibility. There’s an opportunity to use local incentives. I’d like to see children prioritised; if we don’t, we are setting ourselves up for a generation of dental problems. I’d also like to see better access for vulnerable people.’
With local commissioning of dental services, there are also opportunities to design services to meet the needs of the population. Louise already has thoughts. ‘I’d like to see more joint working with the voluntary sector. For example, people access mental health services because their teeth are problematic. People are unable to eat properly, they become malnourished, and voluntary groups contact us for advice.’
Chief commissioning officer of the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board, David Freeman says: ‘From 1st April we will have a much greater opportunity to work with local people, dentists and other specialists in our area to develop new and different ways of working. We’ve already started this work – from helping children and families with good dental hygiene to designing extra services to meet more complex dental needs, we are developing plans for improvements this year.’

Map shows dental clinics in Dorset that accept children as new NHS patients.
None said they were accepting adult patients, unless very elderly or had additional needs.

What can you do now?
If you have toothache and don’t have access to a dentist, Louise Bate advises the best course of action is to dial NHS 111 to discuss your needs. ‘And keep looking for appointments, because some NHS slots do come up.’
Clearly, the NHS will be busy working to improve access to dentistry this year. However, there has never been a better time to ensure we all practise good dental hygiene, stop smoking and reduce sugar intake to avoid tooth decay as much as possible.

Sources:
South West Dental Reform Group Report 2022-Dorset.
Healthwatch Dorset 2023: NHS Dental care in Dorset.

Time to get started in the garden

Editorial team

9 April 2023

April is here, and it’s finally time to start getting busy, says gardener Pete Harcom. Warmer temperatures come with lots of garden jobs!

Now’s the time to plant your hollyhocks, foxgloves and other cottage garden favourites for some summer colour

The soil will slowly be warming up, so there is lots to do now! Having said that, watch out for frosts at night, and resist the temptation to sow and plant out too early. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and wait a few days if necessary.

Jobs for April

Sweet Peas can be sown outdoors this month, or you can plant out any autumn-sown ones.
Remember to protect early outdoor sowings with fleece if a frost is warned.
The lawn will need attention from now on, including sowing some fresh grass seed on any bare spots. Aerate the lawn by spiking with a lawn aerator or a garden fork – this can be done a few times per year.
You can purchase lawn aerator spiked shoes that fit over your boots, to do the job (NB you may have to join the Ministry of Funny Walks!).
There is still time to move, divide and plant herbaceous perennials – geranium, Astrantia coronaria, hostas and delphiniums. Don’t forget to check for any couch grass or other weeds within the crown of the plant.
Hydrangea macrophylla can be pruned back by approximately a third now. TIP – plant the cuttings in the ground in a sheltered spot and they will have rooted within the year.
Watch out for aphids, even at this time of year.
Don’t spray with nasty insecticide, just squeeze them between your fingertips. This way, there’ll be a few left for the birds!
Turn over the compost heap using a fork – but be careful, there may be some overwintering hedgehogs or grass snakes in there! Grass snakes sometimes like the warmth and use a compost heap to lay their eggs.
There is still time to prune roses back to hard stems and open up the centre of the bush if possible; this lets air and sun in. Also give them a mulch of well-rotted manure.
Deadhead all the tulips and daffodils to help them put energy into root growth and flowers for next year.
A cold greenhouse will be sufficiently warm this month to start sowing annual and biennial seeds for favourites like foxgloves, hollyhocks, nemesia, rudbeckia and French marigolds.
Order your summer-flowering seeds and bulbs!
Check your outdoor pots aren’t drying out – they can, even at this time of year. Also, now’s the time to start increasing the watering of your house plants.

The enduring appeal of Brief Encounter

Editorial team

9 April 2023

WHEN the former Kneehigh Theatre director Emma Rice – whose own Wise Children theatre is now based in Frome – took on the challenge of a stage adaptation of one of the best-loved films of all time, there were many who held their breath.

Hanora Kamen as Laura Jesson and Jammy Kasongo as Dr Alec Harvey. Image: Marc Brenner

What would the iconoclastic Rice do with this poignant wartime Noel Coward black-and-white classic, with its famous story of two married people who meet by chance and fall in love. In the event (and unsurprisingly to anyone who knew that first and foremost Rice is a story-teller), the stage version was a triumph, combining the poignancy of the love story with Kneehigh’s trademark anarchic musical fun. It enjoyed a sell-out run in the West End in 2008 and was revived in 2018.
Now, a new production is at Salisbury Playhouse, directed by Douglas Rintoul and starring Hanora Kamen as Laura Jesson and Jammy Kasongo as Dr Alec Harvey, with a stunningly multi-talented ensemble of actor-singer-musicians who play all the other parts.
Beautifully lit by designer Jessie Addinall, the versatile set is a railway station, Laura’s home, a restaurant, Alec’s friend Steve’s flat and, most importantly, the station tearoom where Laura, with painful grit in one eye, first meets Alec, the doctor who carefully removes the fragment. The chemistry between these two is palpable, and the development of the relationship is convincing.
Fanny Charles

Brief Encounter is at Salisbury Playhouse until 22nd April, and then goes on a short tour, including the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich and the Yvonne Armaud at Guildford.

AKC provided wide farming knowledge and a huge amount of expertise and experience’

Editorial team

9 April 2023

ADVERTORIAL

AKC, an agricultural consultancy firm based near Devizes in Wiltshire, offer independent strategic and financial advice and consultancy for agricultural businesses – as well as bookkeeping and payroll services for all business types. AKC are engaged with the farming community and know first-hand the impact the current industry changes are having on farmers.

Stewardship application
AKC’s farm consultant, James Berry, provides technical and financial advice to farming clients. Farmer Simon Barrett engaged AKC for a farm business review with James, and found the process very simple: ‘AKC provided wide industry knowledge and a huge amount of expertise and experience.’
Simon also noted that James was very patient and personable: ‘he was happy to explain to me again and again, and helped me understand [the different schemes on offer]. It was more than comprehensive, and a very positive experience’, says Simon. It led him to ask James for help with his Countryside Stewardship application this year.
‘Last year I submitted the application for myself,’ he says, ‘but I felt anxious I wasn’t making the most of the scheme.’
After walking the farm with James and identifying how best to apply different stewardship options, Simon felt he attained a far higher level of revenue than if he had completed the application himself.
‘The stewardship application has been of most value to me’ says Simon. ‘Others should compare the price of professional fees with the income brought long term. I encourage other farmers to be brave on fees; be prepared to pay for professional advice, and it will pay dividends.
‘AKC were excellent. There was a mix of skills and a good marriage of financial awareness and breadth of agricultural knowledge. In my experience accountants generally don’t have the depth and technical knowledge of farming, so it was a revelation to have someone bring a better understanding that allowed me to feel more up to the numbers

Free advice
As part of the Future Farming Resilience Fund, AKC are working with NIAB and Savills to bring free tailored business advice to farmers in receipt of Basic Payments. This is an important opportunity for farmers to learn about the changes in policy, the impact it will have on their own business and how they can adapt to these challenges.
Simon Barrett was left feeling very encouraged by the advice he was given; ‘I learnt a huge amount about the ELMS schemes I could access,’ he says. ‘Also, James shared what is making other farms across the country more profitable.’
Another AKC client agreed the process of the farm business review worked very smoothly. Mark Vaughan Lee, from Dorset, describes his experience in receiving guidance on the replacement of BPS, learning about how they can do things differently, in addition to what they are currently doing.
‘I have been using AKC for ten years.’ He says. ‘They provide an excellent on-farm service and have held my hand throughout the process, especially with the transition and the loss of BPS payments.’

As environmental land management continually develops, AKC are helping clients with:
Sustainable Farming Incentive rollout/Animal health & welfare/Productivity opportunities
CSS Plus Applications planned in 2023
Slurry Infrastructure Grants
Opportunities for landscape recovery (developing working clusters)
What makes AKC unique is the array of commercial farm business experience backed up by a professional accountancy, bookkeeping & payroll team –providing clients with an
all-encompassed service.

Get in touch to see how we can help you – 01380 724687 akcagric.co.uk

Dorset one of worst counties for raptor persecution, says RSPB,after poisoned birds are found

Editorial team

9 April 2023

Following the successful prosecution of a Dorset gamekeeper for rural crimes, Andrew Livingston spoke to the RSPB about the scale of the issue

The poisoned red kite which started the investigation in 2020.
Image: Johanna Dollerson

At the start of the 19th century firearms technology had developed sufficiently to create an opportunity for commercial shooting of game birds in the countryside. Many of the large estates that you walk and visit today were originally designed with the intention of shooting pheasant, partridge, duck, geese, grouse or snipe.
Landowners began planting woodlands around picturesque settings from where the birds would be ‘driven’ towards a row of guns, to be shot for sport.
Whatever your view on it, shooting is undeniably big business across the whole country – including in Dorset. With the amounts of money invested in commercial shoots, gamekeepers are under increased pressure to ensure as many of the game birds survive to adulthood as possible and make it to flight on shoot days.
These birds, which are bred for shooting, are not at the top of the food chain in the wild and are frequently hunted by our native birds of prey such as buzzards, harriers, eagles and kites. These birds, known as raptors, have been protected from persecution since the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, meaning gamekeepers have no powers within the law to protect their game birds against their predators.
Data collated in 2021 by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) showed that 71 per cent of all raptor persecution in the UK occurred at the hands of gamekeepers on private or commercial shoots. The same data showed that Dorset was one of the worst counties for the persecution of raptors.
Earlier this year, Paul Allen, the gamekeeper for the Shaftesbury Estate Shoot pleaded guilty to seven offences relating to rural crimes, two of which resulted from the discovery of six dead buzzards after a search of his site.
‘It began in 2020, actually,’ Jennie Shelton, media liaison officer for the RSPB Investigations Team, told The BV: ‘It began in 2020, when a walker found a dead kite and was concerned that the rat had been poisoned and used as bait.’
Dorset Police’s forensics team found that the kite and the rat were both poisoned with Brodifacoum, said to be one of the strongest rodenticides on the market. With this evidence, the police had suspicions that the kite was poisoned deliberately.
‘We got involved [at] that stage.’ says Jenny. ‘We give advice and so, when the search of the land took place, our RSPB Investigations Team was included, along with Natural England, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and Dorset Police.
‘On that search, they discovered dead buzzards – six of which had been shot and the remains of three more in a fire. There was also an array of poisons, many of which were banned substances, stashed away.’
The search also revealed a loaded shotgun which was left behind a kitchen door, in breach of Allen’s firearms licence.

Dorset Police and Natural England with two containers of sodium cyanide. Image: RSPB

Condemned by his community
Post-mortems on the buzzards found that they were shot rather than poisoned and Allen was never charged with causing their deaths, only for storing their bodies. For his crimes, Allen was sentenced to 15 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and fined more than £2,000. There were mitigating factors in the sentencing. Allen had lost his wife to cancer around the time of the investigation, and the court deemed that a custodial sentence would have had a significant detrimental impact on his two daughters.
Jenny Shelton believes that the sentencing was typical for crimes of this nature.
She says: ‘I think only one person has ever been jailed for a raptor crime. What we find generally is that it might be a first offence, or they might have good character.
‘Our concern is that this might not be much of a deterrent for other people committing these crimes. [The fine] is not a huge amount if you consider the scale of some of these shoots.’

A red kite in flight. Native birds of prey such as buzzards, harriers, eagles and kites are seen as predators to the game birds on commercial estate shoots. Of all raptor persecution in the UK, 71 per cent occurred at the hands of gamekeepers on private or commercial shoots.

She is concerned that the UK’s sentencing guidelines do not allow magistrates to impose stronger penalties.
Even within his own community, Paul Allen was condemned. The National Gamekeepers Organisation suspended Allen’s membership and later expelled him from the organisation.
The organisation declined an opportunity to speak with The BV, but states on its website: ‘We have a no-tolerance approach to any kind of wildlife crime and we expect our members to adhere to the Code of Good Shooting Practice.’
Since the COVID outbreak, there has been a spike in cases of raptor persecution, which mainly include shooting, trapping or poisoning.
Jenny fears that these reported cases are the tip of the iceberg: ‘It’s hard to say whether it’s getting worse or better because what we’re detecting is probably just a fraction of what’s happening.
‘I think what is really needed is an overhaul of the system. Instead of targeting the gamekeepers, who are usually the guys committing the crimes, it is important to impose a greater deterrent on the employers or the estates.’

Four of the dead buzzards found on the Shaftesbury Estate. Image: RSPB

White-tailed eagle death
Natural England, which assisted in the search of Paul Allen’s property, commented after the sentencing: ‘We are extremely pleased that he has been held to account for his appalling offences against wildlife.
‘This case, and the death in Dorset of one of the stunning white-tailed eagles reintroduced to the Isle of Wight, are clear examples of a bigger problem: the widespread misuse and abuse of poisons in the countryside, which are killing birds of prey and pose ongoing risks to the public.’
According to the RSPB, the white-tailed eagle was found dead on the same Shaftesbury Estate, after the investigation had started, and had also been poisoned by Brodifacoum.
As a result of habitat change and unchecked hunting, by 1918 there was just one single lonely white-tailed eagle male flying in the UK. He was shot and killed and the birds were officially extinct on our shores until a re-introduction programme began in the 1980s. The satellite-tracked eagle, which had been released on the Isle of Wight, was found dead in 2022.
‘We don’t know where it picked up the poison,’ says Jenny. ‘It had spent time on several pheasant estates in the days leading up to his death and it hasn’t been possible to identify a suspect.’
A scheduled police search of the estate was cancelled.
‘Basically that was the end of the investigation.’ says Jenny. ‘There’s clearly an issue with rodenticides being used. They may or may not be used to target birds of prey, but they’re certainly getting into their food chain and they are killing these birds.
And that’s a crime.’

Andy’s Moroccan vegetable tagine

Editorial team

8 April 2023

If the sun comes out in the next few weeks, the British barbecues will no doubt be dusted off for the new season. Andy, the Traeger Grills chef, has provided BV readers with an alternative to the standard burgers and sausages – stretch your grilling skills with a Moroccan vegetable tagine! Tagine is a traditional North African stew, usually made with meat and vegetables, but in this recipe, they use an assortment of vegetables, aromatic spices and herbs to create a flavour-packed and satisfying meal. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans, as a vegetable side or anyone looking for a healthy and flavourful meal. So fire up the grill and get started on this mouth-watering vegetable tagine!

Ingredients

150g Butternut Squash
150g Onion
1 Small Red Pepper
125g Courgettes
3 Cloves Garlic
50g Dried Apricots
125ml Vegetable Stock with a few strands of saffron added
¾ Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1 Tsp Dried Mint
½ Tsp Ground Cumin
½ Tsp Ground Coriander
1 Tbsp Rose Harissa Paste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
½-1 Tsp Sumac
Handful of Freshly Chopped Parsley
Two chopped preserved lemons

Method

Peel the butternut squash and cut into a 1.5cm dice
Peel, top and tail the onion and then cut into eight wedges
Cut the red pepper into a dice
Cut the courgette into 2cm dice
Peel and slice the garlic cloves as finely as you can.
Cut the dried apricots in half.
Add the onions to the tagine, followed by the pepper, then garlic, courgette, butternut squash, apricots and preserved lemons. Try to arrange the veggies in layers so that they all cook evenly .
Mix the vegetable stock with the harissa paste, saffron, ground cumin, ground coriander and dried mint, then pour it over the vegetables.
Pour over the olive oil and pout on the tagine lid. place the tagine onto your barbecue grill (or and oven) at 160º for 40-45 minutes.
Garnish with sumac and fresh parsley.

Serving Tip: Serve with some simply cooked couscous. Boil some veg stock and pour it over 150g of couscous. Cover with cling film and leave for 5-6 minutes to absorb the liquid. Season with salt and pepper and a couple of knobs of butter.

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