Wildfowling at Caerlaverock NNR

Information

Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve (NNR) was established in 1957 with the aim of managing nature conservation alongside the seemingly conflicting interests of farming, fishing and wildfowling. This approach of managing activities for both the conservation and enjoyment of the natural heritage remains key to the continuing success of Caerlaverock NNR.

Controlled wildfowling over a designated zone within part of the NNR is allowed by permit under byelaws. The wildfowling scheme is overseen by the Caerlaverock Panel for which SNH provides the Chair and Secretary; its members represent local wildfowlers, the land owner, and national shooting and conservation bodies.

Applications for permits are accepted from 1 July onwards and are issued on a limited first-come first-served basis. Application forms can be downloaded from the link below and must be printed, signed, and returned to:

The Issuing Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage
Carmont House
The Crichton
Bankend Road
Dumfries
DG1 4ZF

The wildfowling season lasts from 1 September to 20 February each year, and permits are available as follows:

Season permits

Season permits are available only to those applicants who are resident within 18 miles of the NNR on the Scottish side of the Solway Firth. A maximum of 80 are authorised by the Caerlaverock Panel for issue each season.

Short period permits

Short Period Permits are available to all other wildfowlers, who can apply for periods of up to 12 days at a time. You may apply for as many of these periods as you wish provided there is a gap of at least 2 weeks between each period. A maximum of 22 Short Period permits per day are allowed from September to November, 20 per day from December to January (except on Saturdays, when it is 19 per day in December and 13 per day in January), and 13 per day in February. Please ensure you only apply for the periods you are likely to use the permit to avoid blocking dates which could be used by others.