This Act amends the 1928 game preservation law, lets the Minister vary certain close-season periods by order, and creates offences for killing game during prohibited times or killing rabbits by firearm on land without authority.
Game Preservation (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 An Act to amend the Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928; and to amend the law relating to the killing, taking or destroying of rabbits and hares. The Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928 (c. 25) (referred to in this Act as “the 1928 Act”) shall be amended as follows. In section 7(1) (periods during which it is unlawful to take, kill or destroy game)— after paragraph (b) there shall be inserted— any partridge or snipe during the period commencing on 1st February in any year and ending with 31st August next following; in paragraph (c) for “game-bird other than a grouse” there shall be substituted “ other game-bird ”. In section 7 for subsection (3) (power to vary certain periods) there shall be substituted— The Minister of the Environment (in this Act referred to as “the Minister”) may by order— amend subsection (1) so as to vary the close season in relation to any kind of game; or amend subsection (2) so as to vary the period referred to in that subsection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In section 7F(2) (temporary nature of orders of the Minister) after “under this Act” there shall be inserted “ (except one made under section 7(3)) ”. For section 7A of the 1928 Act there shall be substituted— Any person who kills, takes or destroys any game— on a Sunday; or during the period commencing one hour after sunset on any day and ending one hour before sunrise on the next day, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act. Any person who— at any time kills, takes or destroys any rabbit by means of a firearm on any land; and is not an authorised person in relation to that land, Subsection (2) does not apply in relation to the killing, taking or destroying of any rabbit in pursuance of any power conferred by or under— the Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (c. 2); or the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 22). For the purposes of subsection (2) a person is an authorised person in relation to any land if he is, or is authorised by— the owner or occupier of the land; or a person who has a right of shooting on the land. In the Ground Game Act 1880 (c. 47) (right of occupier to kill and take hares and rabbits)— in section 1, in subsection (1)— for the words “duly authorised by him in writing” there shall be substituted “ authorised by him ”; and paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) shall be omitted; in section 1, subsection (3) shall be omitted; and section 10 shall be omitted. Subs. (6)—Repeals In section 7F of the 1928 Act for subsection (4) (orders under that Act to be published) there shall be substituted— Orders made by the Minister under this Act shall be subject to negative resolution. This Act may be cited as the Game Preservation (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002. Sections 1 and 2 shall come into operation on such day or days as the Department of the Environment may by order appoint. Schedule—Repeals S. 1(4) repealed (17.8.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 15), ss. 39(2), 40(1), Sch. 3 Pt. 3; S.R. 2011/285, art. 2 S. 2(2) repealed (13.9.2010) by Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (c. 10), ss. 38(3), 39(1), Sch. 2 (with s. 37); S.R. 2010/309, art. 2, Sch. S. 2(3) repealed (13.9.2010) by Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (c. 10), ss. 38(3), 39(1), Sch. 2 (with s. 37); S.R. 2010/309, art. 2, Sch. S. 2(5) repealed (17.8.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 15), ss. 39(2), 40(1), Sch. 3 Pt. 2; S.R. 2011/285, art. 2 fully exercised by SR 2002/130
