The government has confirmed that any proposal by the UK to ban trail hunting will not have direct legal effect on the island.
In December, the Labour government announced changes to its Animal Welfare Strategy with trail hunting set to be banned.
The government confirmed the policy to ban the activity formally and will undertake a public consultation on how to implement the ban.
The announcement left uncertainty as to whether this will ban all hunting, including drag, which many refer to as “clean boot hunting”.
No Ban on IOM
A government spokesperson told Manx.News: “The island is a self-governing jurisdiction, and any changes to hunting legislation would require legislation to be brought forward and approved by Tynwald.
“It is understood that the only form of hunting currently taking place in the Isle of Man is drag hunting, which differs from trail hunting in that hounds follow a human-laid, artificial scent rather than an animal-based one, significantly reducing risks to wildlife.
“There is no indication that the UK intends to ban drag hunting.”
