Chamber and committees

50% funding is available to fox destruction clubs to control foxes during the spring lambing season.

Currently support for eagles and other birds of prey is available through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) Rural Priorities. There are options within SRDP which offer management support for golden eagles. These can be found at the following web reference http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Packages/GoldenEagle.

There are currently no options in Rural Priorities designed specifically for sea eagles, though there is package guidance for these birds. This guidance can be found at the following web reference:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Packages/SupportBiodiversity/Birds/WhiteTailedEagle.

Other predatory birds can benefit from a wide range of habitat management options but these do not have any conflict resolution or species specific management options. Management options supporting birds can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Packages/SupportBiodiversity/Birds.

There is also support for specific areas. In the West Highlands, Scottish Natural Heritage offers a West Highland Sea Eagle Management Scheme. This is available to land managers in Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh and Wester Ross, who have land within the territory of breeding sea eagles, although in exceptional circumstances Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has entered into agreements in other areas which are frequented by high numbers of juvenile birds. The original scheme closed in January 2008, but SNH re-opened the Scheme in spring 2009, for a period of one year and is offering one-year agreements.

In addition to the sea eagle management options, SNH offers a natural care scheme for the Cuillins golden eagle Special Protection Area (SPA). This management scheme is available to land managers who have land within Cuillins SPA. This scheme is now closed, but entrants entered into five-year Management Agreements with SNH. This scheme delivers habitat and biodiversity improvement, and does not have any prescriptions designed to reduce conflict with livestock management.

In Argyll a natural care scheme has been developed for Mull and more recently Appin. The Mull Eagle Scheme offers support to hill farmers on Mull who have sea eagles and/or golden eagles on their land.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on fox numbers. It supports fox destruction clubs across Scotland, and has resisted calls to ban snaring, focussing instead on the improving of standards in the operation of snares.

The Scottish Government will announce its decision as to how this funding will be allocated in due course.

The Scottish Government has funded, through the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS), local trusts to produce Fishery Management Plans which provide the background to the fisheries and identify management actions to promote sustainably managed freshwater fish and fisheries resources.

The Wester Ross Fisheries Trust''s plan includes proposals for the restoration of the Loch Maree salmon and sea trout fisheries. Projects to date undertaken by a range of partners including the Trust, the local District Salmon Fishery Board, proprietors and the local authority have included habitat restoration and stocking programmes.

The West Sutherland Fisheries Trust''s Plan includes measures for the conservation of its wild salmon and sea trout populations. At Loch Stack the proprietors have introduced a variety of measures including catch and release, reduced fishing hours, restrictions on fishing methods, habitat improvements and limited stocking with native populations.

The Scottish Government welcomes these local initiatives by boards, trusts and proprietors which along with work at the national level such as through its support for the RAFTS Fisheries Management Planning Programme and the Marine Scotland Science Programme for Freshwater Fisheries are in the long term interests of sustainable Scottish salmon and sea trout stocks.

The suite of 17 special areas of conservation (SAC) designated for Atlantic salmon in Scotland was selected in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of the EC Habitats Directive in order to provide good representation for the species in terms of its geographic range and variation in genetic sub-types. Consideration was also given to those rivers where other interests (such as freshwater pearl mussel and lamprey) were present.

It is estimated that the Scottish SAC suite for Atlantic salmon accounts for approximately 40% of returning adults based on catch data.

My meeting in Stornoway on 16 April with a wide range of Harris Tweed stakeholders was very fruitful in discussing the way forward for the sector. I welcome the determination and commitment of the industry to come together to share ideas, aspirations and solutions. I understand that they are currently working to finalise the Harris Tweed strategy that was presented at the meeting in draft form.

Consumer research is one of the key objectives within that strategy. I am pleased to report that the Scottish Enterprise Textiles team has agreed to assist the Harris Tweed Authority with that consumer research “ the nature and scope of which is currently being discussed. Scottish Development International also continues to assist the sector with international marketing and promotion. Highlands and Islands Enterprise continues to work with the main producers and supporting them on an individual basis to progress their business development proposals.

The proposal to ban trade in seal products across the EU is a reserved matter. There will not be a total ban on sealskins in sporrans under the proposals. Inuit products from seals, sourced using traditional methods could still be traded. Also, non-commercial seal products which are by-products of marine management could still be used. There has been widespread concern about the inhumane nature of many seal hunts and the Scottish Government supports the tightening of trade in seal products. However, it also supports measures allowing sporrans manufactured in Scotland to be made from seal skins in a traditional way.

Indications from the industry are that sporran makers can adapt if the use of sealskin is banned. Scottish ministers have not received any request for discussions on this matter.

We have indication that the industry will consider alternatives, such as using bovine hides, pony skins, rabbit furs or synthetic materials for the manufacture of sporrans. Our important export markets for sporrans in the United States will not be affected, as seal skins are already banned in the US. Therefore we envisage that the financial implications will be minimal.