Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Official Report 493KB pdf

Petition

European Beavers (PE1601)

Agenda item 2 is consideration of PE1601, by Andy Myles, on European beavers in Scotland. I refer members to the paper and invite comments.

This is an excellent petition, and I praise the petitioner for getting it to us today and the Public Petitions Committee for the work that it has done. Like many members, I have visited the Knapdale site in Argyll and have seen the trial at first hand, and I am very enthusiastic about the work that has been done in the Argyll area and the potential to extend it to other parts of Scotland. As members will know, there is some conflict because, in Tayside, there are beavers that, technically, are there illegally, which means that they can be shot by farmers.

It would be useful to write to the cabinet secretary to confirm when the decision on the legal status of the two populations might be made. I do not doubt the cabinet secretary’s commitment, but given my experience in petitions—which, as you will know, is quite considerable—I think that it would be useful to know exactly what is happening. I know from experience in the Highlands and Islands that there are landlords who are quite interested in beaver reintroduction in their area. The species was native to Scotland, and its reintroduction is, as we have seen with sea eagles and so on in other parts of Scotland, a positive development.

There have been indications that a decision will be reached before the end of the year, so we are now quite close.

I support writing to the cabinet secretary on the issue. However, I should point out the numerous written questions on the issue going back over the past year and the fact that the hiatus is resulting in serious animal welfare issues, with beavers being shot in the Tayside area in particular.

If we are going to write to the cabinet secretary, I want to know a lot more than just when the decision is going to be made. I want to know what work is being done behind the scenes to try to introduce a management regime for beavers, what advice and support can be given to farmers and also the implications of a decision not to allow the introduction of beavers. What would be the implications for welfare and for Scotland’s wider environment? Short of the committee actually taking evidence on the topic, I would like a lot more information from the Scottish Government on the work that is happening behind the scenes to, I hope, make reintroductions successful in Scotland.

If the committee were to agree to write to the cabinet secretary, which is something I would support, I would also be interested in getting clarification on whether any secondary legislation—if there were to be any on any aspect; we do not have to go into details now—would come before the committee for consideration.

It seems that we have a consensus that we should write to the cabinet secretary, taking account of all the points that have been made by members. Does the committee agree?

Members indicated agreement.