I have been contacted by a large number of constituents about trophy hunting and the current EDM 50 laid before parliament on 9th January 2020. This replaces EDM 1829 which expired at the end of the last parliament.
I do believe that as sentient beings who can experience fear and pain, all animals should be treated with thought and care. Trophy hunting involves pursuing another animal in conditions which causes stress, fear and pain, with hunters killing as a form of entertainment, not for food, to control pests or to protect other species.
I understand there are arguments for conservation hunting. Some individuals and organisations make the case for conservation hunting as a way of bringing income into countries with a rich wildlife population, but poor economically. They also argue that commercial hunting provides a strong incentive to manage and safeguard wildlife populations and protect other valuable natural resources from exploitation.
I also recognise that occasionally there is a need to cull some species to keep nature in balance and the control of predators to protect other species.
However, I cannot see how those justifications can be used to defend hunters who kill an animal which has been bred in captivity for the specific purpose of being hunted for entertainment. I believe action is needed to stop this sort of exploitation, and to establish how defensible the arguments for conservation hunting are. I am therefore pleased that the Government decided to consult on options to restrict the imports and exports of hunting trophies to the UK - including a potential ban.
This consultation, alongside a call for evidence, will allow ministers to understand the public’s views on all sides of the debate and gather expert evidence to inform any next steps. The consultation closed in February and these responses are now being considered. I have not signed EDM 50 at this stage as I look forward to seeing the outcome of that consultation and the opportunity to debate the matter in the future.
Mae llawer o etholwyr wedi cysylltu â mi ynglŷn â hela am hwyl a’r EDM 50 a roddwyd gerbron y senedd ar 9 Ionawr 2020. Mae hwn yn disodli EDM 1828 a ddaeth i ben ddiwedd y senedd ddiwethaf.
Rydw i o’r farn y dylem ni, fel bodau sy’n teimlo ac yn gallu profi ofn a phoen, drin pob anifail yn feddylgar a gyda gofal. Hela am hwyl yw pan mae helwyr yn mynd ar ôl anifail arall mewn amodau sy’n achosi straen, ofn a phoen, ac yn ei ladd fel math o adloniant, nid i’w fwyta, i reoli plâu nac i amddiffyn rhywogaethau eraill.
Rydw i’n deall bod dadleuon o blaid hela cadwraethol. Mae rhai unigolion a sefydliadau yn dadlau bod hela cadwraethol yn ffordd o ddod ag incwm i wledydd sydd â phoblogaethau toreithiog o anifeiliaid gwyllt, ond economi wael. Maen nhw hefyd yn dadlau bod hela cadwraethol yn gymhelliant cryf dros reoli a diogelu poblogaethau o anifeiliaid gwyllt ac amddiffyn adnoddau naturiol gwerthfawr eraill rhag cael eu camddefnyddio.
Rydw i hefyd yn cydnabod bod angen didol a difa rhai rhywogaethau o bryd i’w gilydd er mwyn cynnal cydbwysedd ym myd natur, a rheoli ysglyfaethwyr er mwyn amddiffyn rhywogaethau eraill.
Fodd bynnag, ni allaf weld sut mae modd defnyddio unrhyw un o’r rhesymau hyn i gyfiawnhau neu amddiffyn helwyr sy’n lladd anifeiliaid wedi’u magu mewn caethiwed at y diben penodol o gael eu hela am hwyl. Credaf bod angen cymryd camau i roi diwedd ar y math hwn o gamfanteisio, ac i sefydlu i ba raddau mae modd amddiffyn y dadleuon o blaid hela cadwraethol. Felly, rydw i’n falch bod y Llywodraeth wedi penderfynu ymgynghori ynghylch yr opsiynau i gyfyngu ar y troffïau hela sy’n cael eu mewnforio a’u hallforio yn y DU – gan gynnwys gwaharddiad posib.
Bydd yr ymgynghoriad hwn, ochr yn ochr â galwad am dystiolaeth, yn galluogi gweinidogion i ddeall barn y cyhoedd ar ddwy ochr y ddadl, a chasglu tystiolaeth arbenigol er mwyn rhoi sail i’r camau nesaf. Daeth yr ymgynghoriad i ben ym mis Chwefror ac mae’r ymatebion hyn wrthi’n cael eu hystyried. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen at weld canlyniad yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw ac at gael cyfle i drafod y mater hwn yn y dyfodol.