Countryside workers convicted of wildlife crime could lose their firearms licences and landowners could face financial sanctions under plans unveiled by the Scottish Environment Minister yesterday.

Michael Russell said the measures would act as a deterrent because it would restrict employment opportunities for those guilty of such offences.

He also said financial penalties including stripping landowners of state subsidies if crime takes place on their property would prompt farmers and estate owners to introduce greater safeguards.

The minister suggested the plans following a recent spate of wildlife crime, including poisonings of birds of prey.

Mr Russell said the removal of firearms licences was one of several possibilities.

He said: "People who work in the countryside very often need those (firearms) for work. Anybody found guilty of this, I believe, and I want to consult on this, should automatically lose their firearms licence. That would reduce their employment prospects substantially."

Mr Russell said cash penalties could be broadened where the crime took place on land which was subject to public payments, such as the subsidy known as the single farm payment which is worth an average of around £20,000.

"If the owners of that landholding are involved, then we should reduce or eliminate state subsidies to them."

The minister said he was "absolutely appalled" at the recent spate of attacks, including a golden eagle being poisoned last week in the Borders.

He said: "There should be no doubt the Scottish government is determined to stamp out this shameful and barbaric practice which has no place in a modern, civilised country."

Wildlife organisations said the level of crime showed further steps are needed.

Duncan Orr-Ewing of RSPB Scotland, said: "The regularity with which we see these crimes occurring proves that sentencing has not been a sufficient deterrent, and more needs to be done to tackle those engaged with serious wildlife crime.

"We'd also like to see at least one full-time serving wildlife crime officer for each police force in Scotland, and better resources given to environmental procurators-fiscal to enable them to more effectively prosecute such crimes."

But there was a mixed political response to the plans.

Labour environment spokeswoman Sarah Boyack said: "We back calls for greater use of financial penalties against landowners, however we would caution against targeting gamekeepers. Responsibility and accountability should lie with the estate and not with individual workers."

Tory rural affairs spokesman John Scott described the moves as "potentially heavy-handed", though in general terms he welcomed the principle of further tightening legislation.