Current status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle wildlife crime in the Borders, and what its response is to reports that a goosander, which is a protected species of bird, was shot recently on the River Tweed.
The Scottish Government is taking forward a number of new measures to tackle wildlife crime throughout Scotland. These include working with Police Scotland to implement additional resources for the detection and investigation of wildlife crime and a commitment to increase the maximum penalties for wildlife offences during the current Parliament.
The Police Scotland Lothians and Scottish Borders Division has a dedicated full-time Wildlife Crime Liaison Officer who works closely with local communities to raise awareness, promote best practice and enforce legislation.
All wild birds are protected under law, and it is an offence to kill a wild bird unless under licence. The investigation of suspected wildlife crime incidents is a matter for Police Scotland, who are aware of the reported shooting of a goosander on the River Tweed in August 2017, and have opened an investigation.