SBAG Scottish Beaver Advisory Group Meeting - 17 August 2023

Attendees:

• Chair: Jill Robbie
• Jenny Bryce (NatureScot)
• Roisin Campbell-Palmer (Beaver Trust)
• Hugh Dignon (Scottish Government)
• Nadia Flaherty (Scottish Land & Estates)
• Kenny Kortland (Forestry and Land Scotland)
• Kate Maitland (National Farmers Union Scotland)
• Scot Mathieson (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)
• Linsey Mason-Maclean (Scottish Forestry)
• James Nairne (representing Scottish Rewilding Alliance)
• James Silvey (representing Scottish Environment Link)
• Helen Taylor (Royal Zoological Society of Scotland)
• Alan Wells (Fisheries Management Scotland)
• Jonathan Willet (representing the National Parks)

Apologies: Donald Fraser (NatureScot), Rachel Helliwell (Centre of Expertise for Waters), April Armstrong (Confor).

1. Minutes of previous meeting 14^th June 2023 and matters arising

Draft minutes to be amended to note that Scottish Rewilding Alliance had sent a letter to NatureSoct with comments on the translocation guidance. Otherwise minutes to be adopted.

AP1 The term independent chair to be retained in the group’s ToR and for members (present and not present at the meeting) to advise NatureScot if they do not agree with NatureScot’s proposal for chair. Discharged. Jill Robbie was confirmed as the new chair of the group.

AP 2 NatureScot to revise the reporting template to include more detail and host it on a shared file and circulate to members. Discharged. On the agenda for discussion.

AP3 FMS and Scottish Forestry to initiate a first meeting of their respective sub-groups. NatureScot staff can offer some support with contacts and secretariat. Sub-groups on the agenda for discussion.

New AP 4 NatureScot to initiate a first meeting of the Research and Innovation and Comms sub-groups, to refine the ToR and identify roles and responsibilities. Sub-groups on the agenda for discussion.

Draft minutes to be amended to note that Scottish Rewilding Alliance had sent a letter to NatureSoct with comments on the translocation guidance. Otherwise minutes to be adopted.

2. Review of Strategy progress 

NatureScot had updated the reporting template to reflect the groups desire to see more detail on individual actions. All 88 actions now have a line in the spreadsheet against which progress can be reported. A lead organisation is listed for each action with the intention they are responsible for reporting progress on this action. The start dates given in the published Implementation Plan are listed, noting that most are front loaded to early years of the plan. It was put to the group that the template whilst now comprehensive, it a bit unwieldy for the group to regularly review and have oversight of and that it would be helpful to have a clearer prioritisation of actions. Members noted it might be useful, however, to review the progress of all the actions on an annual basis.

Members reflected on the group’s terms of reference (ToR) – ‘The Scottish Beaver Advisory Group (SBAG) exists to monitor, review and guide delivery of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy 2022-2045’. Which suggests there is a need for this group to have oversight of all the actions being delivered by partners and to be responsible for the delivery of the actions specifically identified for this group.

However, whilst the Strategy is recently developed there was agreement that the implementation of actions would need to be adaptive; that leads should be reviewed, actions prioritised/ sequenced and the reporting template should be clearer about where there are resources already allocated or that still need to be found.  

There was discussion of the resources needed to manage the reporting process – it was noted the Objective Connect sharefile should enable partners to provide updates rather than having to be requested by NatureScot; others wanted to see a dedicated resource. Some of the partners listed in the Strategy are not represented on SBAG. It was suggested that reviewing the leads and devolving some of the actions to sub-groups could ensure there is representation on SBAG across the wider range of actions.

New AP 1 NatureScot to review the leads against actions for the next meeting, and provide a list of those assigned to SBAG. NatureScot to email named leads on behalf of SBAG to remind them of their responsibilities in the Strategy, to ask them whether they are the appropriate body for that action, whether they have the resources for that action, and what is the progress towards achievement of outcomes.

3. Sub-group updates

A paper discussed at the June meeting had recommended that four sub-groups be established. Riparian woodland, Fish and Fisheries, Research and Innovation and Communications. As yet none of these sub-groups have met, but discussions have been ongoing about chairing these groups, the ToR and membership.

The group sought further discussion as to whether these were the right sub-groups, noting we are now one year into delivery and they have not yet been established.

Whilst recognising there is a need for further policy and guidance on the interaction between riparian woodland and beaver, it was proposed that the need for a riparian woodland sub-group was not proportionate to the number of Strategy actions. It was also suggested that there is a gap in having no sub-group to guide delivery of actions relating to Mitigation and Management which has a large number of related actions. Whilst there was some concern that the absence of a specific riparian woodland group would not have the required focus, it was agreed that woodland management could form part of a wider Mitigation and Management sub-group.

There was clarification that the role of this group should not seek to manage NatureScot’s delivery of the Beaver Management Framework (licensing and mitigation), but there was a role for a sub-group to guide innovation and best practice. The Beaver Trust representative  volunteered to lead this group in an independent capacity. It was noted the Communications group has a role in communicating existing knowledge regarding mitigation and management.

Hence the revised list of proposed sub-groups is as follows:

• Fish and Fisheries
• Mitigation and Management
• Communications
• Research and Innovation

New AP 2 All sub-groups to aim to meet before the next SBAG meeting on 26^th October and advise Naturescot of the list of those to be invited to access the SBAG sharefiles.

New AP 3 NatureScot to set up an email address for SBAG for all correspondence.

New AP 4 NatureScot to set up share files for each of the sub-groups.

New AP 5 Draft ToR for fish and Fisheries sub-group to be shared as an example to promote consistency.

New AP 6 NatureScot to review the ToR to ensure consistency.

New AP 7 SBAG to approve the sub-groups ToR.

4. Translocation updates 

NatureScot provided some brief updates on the work being carrying out in support of translocations since the last meeting. Public consultations have been carried out on the (SEA) environmental reports for the Beauly and Spey catchments. Responses to both consultations have been relatively few, perhaps reflecting the ongoing engagement by Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and Trees for Life/ Forestry and Land Scotland in these catchments which is otherwise capturing stakeholder comments. NatureScot are reviewing the comments received and will be producing post-adoption statements on these reports.

The group discussed that the need for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment was triggered by translocation ‘projects’ and the (Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, as amended) legal requirement to licence beaver release and hence that consequently beaver dispersal into new catchments had not undergone the same assessment process. It was noted that the systematic assessments were considered to be very helpful to applicants in guiding consultees to an independent/ systematic assessment of likely effects. However, there were calls to see assessments in place for more catchments, whilst recognising that NatureScot resources are limited. NatureScot raised that no further catchments have as yet been identified for SEA. The prioritisation of further catchments will be informed by suitability (high benefit/low risk) and also by where there is interest in beaver translocation.

New AP 7 All to advise NatureScot where there is existing interest in beaver translocation.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) provided an update that an application for a licence to release beavers at two sites ‘within range’ has been submitted to NatureScot to provide low conflict sites for beaver release. It was noted that FLS are looking to engage further with the community regarding a beaver translocation to Glen Affric. FLS recognised that other sites on the National Forest Estate had been assessed for suitability but are not currently being progressed due to the resourcing required for stakeholder engagement in new catchments. FLS noted they have day to day experience of managing woodlands with beavers in Knapdale and can contribute to case studies. Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) noted a paper has been submitted on the genetics of the Knapdale beavers (Norwegian and Bavarian origin) and suggested consideration be given to the genetics of further releases.

CNPA provided an update on the engagement ongoing in the Spey catchment. Following a series of informal engagement events a more formal phase of engagement is ongoing for 6 weeks. This includes hosting 6 public events in the catchment around the proposal to release beavers at three locations in the upper catchment. So far engagement has been largely positive. Following the engagement CNPA hope to prepare a licence application, with the potential for releases later this year.

The group had further discussion around the purpose of engagement/vs consultation as well as how and in what manner stakeholders can influence the outcome of decisions. It was noted the guidance published by NatureScot sets out the purpose of engagement (link to the guidance: Beavers in Scotland - Conservation translocation guidance for applicants, consultees and interested parties.)

In assessing a licence application NatureScot are required to take account of concerns raised and the extent to which they can be adequately mitigated.

5. Beaver Management Report

(for members to raise any points not covered in the last meeting due to publication close to the meeting date)

It was asked if the group could see NatureScot’s response to the Scottish Animal Welfare Committee’s (SAWC) recommendations on beaver.

New AP 8 NatureScot to provide a summary of the response to SAWC recommendations.

It was asked if carcass retrieval is now a condition of beaver licences. It was confirmed that new licences that permit the use of lethal control will have this condition, with the need to provide an explanation where this is not possible due to health and safety considerations.

National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) asked for an update on who has been appointed to carry out the independent post-mortem of beaver carcases to provide information on beaver health and welfare.

New AP 9 NatureScot to provide an update when a PM contract is awarded.

6. AOB

It was noted the web page for SBAG (hosed on the NatureScot website) will be live shortly – since live at Scottish Beaver Advisory Group SBAG.

It was noted that several members had asked Scottish Forestry for guidance on how beaver impacts would be regarded under Scottish Forestry Grants. Scottish Forestry replied that discussions are ongoing internally.

New AP 10 Scottish Forestry to provide an update to SBAG on the approach to beavers and Scottish Forestry Grants.

It was asked when will the licence changes take effect for those licences not yet expiring. NatureScot confirmed that new conditions would apply when new licences are applied for.

NFUS requested an update on the water gate trails currently proposed by NatureScot. It was noted that one gate is expected to be installed in the next month and that the timeline for the other two sites would be reviewed thereafter.

Since the introduction of an application form for beaver licences, it was asked if forms that have been completed could be provided to applicants that might wish to re-apply when they expire to reduce the effort needed to complete the form from scratch. NatureScot agreed to look into this.

NFUS had raised with NatureScot whether an App could be developed to enable land managers to submit beaver management actions directly to NatureScot; e.g.  when beavers are controlled under licence (as notification for carcass collection) and when dam removal takes place. Such reports would provide ‘live’ returns. NatureScot has offered to look into this and whether some existing survey technologies could be adapted for this purpose provided there was adequate data security given the sensitivity of the information.

DONM 26^th October.

The potential for the group to meet as part of a site visit was discussed.

New AP 11 NatureScot to initiate a doodle poll for a site visit around the time of the next meeting.

Summary of outstanding and new Actions

New AP 1 NatureScot to review the leads against actions for the next meeting, and provide a list of those assigned to SBAG. NatureScot to email named leads on behalf of SBAG to remind them of their responsibilities in the Strategy, to ask them whether they are the appropriate body for that action, whether they have the resources for that action, and what is the progress towards achievement of outcomes.

New AP 2 All sub-groups to aim to meet before the next SBAG meeting on 26^th October and advise the secretariat of the list of those to be invited to access the SBAG sharefiles.

New AP 3 NatureScot to set up an email address for SBAG for all correspondence.

New AP 4 NatureScot to set up share files for each of the sub-groups.

New AP 5 Draft ToR for fish and Fisheries sub-group to be shared as an example to promote consistency.

New AP 6 NatureScot to review the ToR to ensure consistency.

New AP 7 SBAG to approve the sub-groups ToR.

New AP 8 All to advise NatureScot where there is existing interest in beaver translocation.

New AP 9 NatureScot to provide a summary the response to SAWC recommendations.

New AP 10 NatureScot to provide an update when a PM contract is awarded.

New AP 11 Scottish Forestry to provide an update to SBAG on beavers and Scottish Forestry Grants.

New AP 12 NatureScot to initiate a doodle poll for a site visit around the time of the next meeting.