Chamber and committees

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) Report on the Welfare of Beavers in Scotland made a number of recommendations including:

• The urgent need for comprehensive guidance for landowners etc for non-lethal control which does not require licensing;
• No licences should be issued in the kit dependency period:
• Banning the shooting of beavers in the water would eliminate the problem of poor or difficult marksmanship, which can significantly affect the welfare of beavers;
• While translocations are welcome as an alternative to lethal control, where possible, it is important that robust protocols are followed by trained operators, release areas are assessed properly, to ensure that high standards of welfare are maintained during and after the translocations of individuals.

NatureScot responded directly to SAWC on behalf of the Scottish Government, and that response is summarised below:

• Mitigation is a key theme of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy with a view to minimising negative impacts. The Strategy includes a range of actions to update guidance, raise awareness, help support and innovate around beaver mitigation techniques. NatureScot currently provides specialist advice to land managers through the Beaver Mitigation Scheme and is actively working on a programme of work on the actions outlined above. The guidance is being reviewed in line with the strategy and advice is available on the NatureScot website.
• Currently only exceptional licences may be issued during the kit dependency period (1st April to 16th August). Exceptional circumstances include situations where either serious damage or a threat to public health or public interest is occurring at that time or is imminent and where lethal control is the only means of addressing that issue.
• The examples of poor shooting practice pre-date the introduction of accredited controller training developed when European Protected Species (EPS) status was given to beavers and the introduction of minimum calibre and bullet weights. The examples given cannot be assumed to reflect current practice. NatureScot also noted that the Commission did not base these recommendations on any practical field work following beaver becoming EPS and the introduction of a licensing scheme. NatureScot are also looking at the conditioning of licences with requirement to provide carcass for post mortem.
• In relation to robust protocols being in place in relation to translocations, there are actions relating to all of these points in Scotland’s Beaver Strategy. NatureScot has produced protocols to accompany the recent release licence issued to RSPB Scotland at Loch Lomond. NatureScot will share and invite comment on these from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission with a view to agreeing standard protocols going forward.

Further discussions on the recommendations are currently ongoing between NatureScot and SAWC. Any resulting changes to protocols or licensing arrangements will be published on the NatureScot website.