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Licensing of non-native biocontrol agents
This page is to provide background information on the legislation and procedures in place for issuing of licences to release non-native biocontrol agents in England under Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
More information will be provided, but essential information is as follows:
A guide to sections 14 and 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- Guide with Annexes 1 and 2 (2,248Kb)
- Annex 4: International legislation and guidance concerning releases of non-native species (218Kb)
- Annex 5: Examples of licences granted under section 16 of the WCA 1981 in respect of release of non-native organisms (278Kb)
- Complete guide (3,151Kb)
Please note that this document was first published in 1997, consequently some of the details have changed. For this reason, contact details provided in the original document have been omitted. Please refer to the contact details provided below.
If you wish to apply for a new licence or renew an existing licence, and for all other enquiries about this service, please contact:
Sarah Hugo
The Food and Environment Research Agency
Sand Hutton
York YO41 1LZ
Telephone + 44 (0)1904 462223
Fax: + 44 (0)1904 462250
Email: or
Please note that in 2010 the government revised the species listed on schedule 9. The government also issued Guidance on understanding the scope of section 14.
The information that is required to support applications for licences to release non-native biocontrol agents is provided in Annex II of the WCA guidance document.
Applications can be submitted on the forms provided below, or in a word document following the format for applications outlined in Annex II of the WCA guidance.
- Application for licence to release a non-native species for biological control purposes in England, under Sections 14 and 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (128Kb)
- Guidelines for the completion of an application to release an invertebrate biological control agent in England (102Kb)
If you wish to apply for a licence to use a non-native biocontrol agent in Scotland please contact the at the Scottish Natural Heritage:
Email:
Telephone: +44 (0) 1463 725000
Web: Species Licensing at SNH
If you wish to apply for a licence to use a non-native biocontrol agent in Wales please contact the at the Welsh Assembly Government on 0300 062 2253.