Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000: Amendments to Schedule 1 and 4: Law drafting instructions

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

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demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

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A decision made 4 August 2014:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2014-0064
Decision Summary Title:	Amendments to Schedules 1 and 4 of the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000		Date of Decision Summary:
Decision Summary Author (Job Title):	Principal Ecologist		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title:	Amendments to Schedules 1 and 4 of the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000		Date of Written Report:	18 July 2014
Written Report Author (Job Title):	Principal Ecologist		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Amendments to Schedule 1 and 4 of the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000
Decision(s): The Minister authorised the drafting of the amendments to Schedule 1 and 4 of the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000 to add the Common (western) toad Bufo spinosus as a protected species.
Reason(s) for Decision: The proposal accords with the States Strategic Plan of implementing the Biodiversity Strategy. The proposed Amendment would confirm the protected status of the populations of the Common toad found in Jersey for the purposes of the Law.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: Law Draftsman to be requested to prepare draft legislation required.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000: Amendments to Schedule 1 and 4: Law drafting instructions

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

conservation of wildlife (jersey) law 2000

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is to request that the Minister authorise the drafting of the Conservation of Wildlife (Amendment No. ) (Jersey) Order 2014.

Background and discussion

The Common toad Bufo bufo is listed on Schedules 1 and 4 of the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000.

Modern research methods and DNA analytical techniques sometimes leads to greater understanding of the relationships within and between species. Recent research supported by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has required a change in the taxonomy of some species which are represented locally.

A recent study (Arntzen et al., 2014) of toads in Jersey has resulted in the assignment of the island’s populations to a new species. The species is currently described in the Law as Common toad Bufo bufo and the species identified as present in the island through the study is the Common (western) toad Bufo spinosus. In order to ensure that all local common toad populations are protected under the law it is proposed to amend Schedules 1 and 4 to include both Bufo bufo and B.spinosus as protected species.

The proposed Conservation of Wildlife (Amendment No.) (Jersey) Order 2014 would confirm the protected status of the populations found in Jersey of the above species for the purposes of the Law.

References

Arntzen, J.W., Wilkinson, J.W., Butôt, R. & Martínez-Solano, I. (2014). A New Vertebrate Species Native to the British Isles: Bufo spinosus Daudin 1803 in Jersey.

Recuero, E., Canestrelli, D., Vörös, J., Szabó, K., Poyarkov N.A., Arntzen, J.W., Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J., Kidov, A.A., Cogălniceanu, D., Caputo, F.P., Nascetti, G. & Martínez-Solano, I. (2012). Multilocus species tree analyses resolve the radiation of the widespread Bufo bufo species group (Anura, Bufonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 62, 71-86.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to authorise the drafting of the above named order and the issue of appropriate law drafting instructions.

Written by:	Principal Ecologist

Approved by:	Director of Environment / Deputy Chief Officer