SBAG Scottish Beaver Advisory Group Meeting - 27 February 2025

Summary of outstanding actions

From 22/8/24

AP 6: NatureScot to provide an update regarding fish use at current water gates, following discussion at the January 2024 meeting: Ongoing. A draft report is available and can be shared when finalised. There were more trout upstream this year than prior to the gate being installed, therefore the gate does not appear to be providing a barrier to fish passage. There are still beaver upstream being trapped out hence it is currently undetermined if the gates are effective in deterring beavers, but none have been observed to pass on trail cameras at the water gate.

AP 7: The Chair agreed to look at options for gathering cross-sectoral interests to discuss the challenges. SEPA offered to provide an appropriate contact. Ongoing. The chair had a meeting with SEPA and Tayside Adapts Partnership with the action to host a workshop at the August SBAG meeting to discuss floodbanks.   

From 14/11/24

AP 1: NatureScot to discuss with RDSV whether faster turnarounds of postmortem results is possible. It was noted the turnaround times for PM reports are dependent on batch processing of frozen carcasses, if a quick turnaround is needed, it can be done.

All postmortem results have been returned, with the more recent ones to be accounted for in the next NatureScot Beaver Management report. It was noted there are still not many carcasses being received from licenced control, which should reflect low levels of control taking place; with licence holders now required to notify NatureScot when lethal control has taken place. It was noted there is a recommendation from SBAG to ensure that faster turnaround times are part of the discussion when the contract is up for renewal. 

New AP 27/2/25

AP 1: NatureScot to circulate the details of what is included in the Postmortem work/ protocols.

AP 2: Dates of meeting for 2025 to be proposed and circulated.  2025 meeting dates have been sent out to members. The next meeting will be held online on the 8th May. 

Sub-group updates

Communications Subgroup: The Comms subgroup are still to set a date for the next meeting, an update will follow soon. The group collectively decided that information needs to be more accessible, the NatureScot website is being utilised and has been updated. 

From 27/02/25

AP 2: Comms subgroup to consider developing a pack (similar to those sent around by CNPA) that could be used in areas where beavers are expanding naturally and have not been subject to public engagement. Noting there are existing resources that could be utilised. 

Mitigation and Management Subgroup: The group had met in February with a focus on woodland creation and beavers, discussing with a range of stakeholders, the impacts, mitigation options and gaps, and opportunities. The subgroup is in the final stages of signing off recommendations from the group to present to SBAG. Following the last meeting and NatureScot publication of 'Designing and protecting woodland creation in the presence of beavers' several sites have approached Forestry Research regarding potential trial sites to progress this research. Dates have been circulated for the next themed meeting. Given the upcoming SBAG on floodbanks, this meeting will seek to focus on agricultural impacts and other issues so other impacts and mitigation gaps and opportunities can be captured. It is agreed that a joint fisheries and mitigation themed meeting will be held following that.

From 27/2/25

AP 3: NatureScot to send the recommendations from the Mitigation and Management sub-group meetings on woodland creation to SBAG, and to upload to the SBAG website/send it onto the relevant bodies such as Scottish Forestry/Forestry Commission etc. 

Fish and Fisheries Subgroup: The last meeting had focussed on discussion of the Beaver Dam Assessment Methodology in development. The methodology has been accepted by NE and EA in England. The subgroup was asked to comment on its application in Scotland. A number of questions had been raised by members about the method/ risk assessment approach/ differentiation between species etc, with a consensus that it is not currently suitable for adoption in a Scottish context. Further discussion is required regarding the ability to make changes or develop something that is more suited in a Scottish context.

Research and Innovation Subgroup: The R&I group are planning an online meeting in May (Tuesday 13th) to cover the human and social targets and actions in the strategy. This is an information gathering meeting with invited speakers, with Dr Vicky Johnson from UHI leading. The intention is to follow this up with an in-person workshop style meeting with stakeholders to address knowledge gaps, if funding can be found.

Translocate update

To date there have been eight further translocations; four to England, four to the Trossachs (two new sites and two existing), with all beaver coming from the Tayside area. FLS have now released 26 individuals to the National Forest Estate including the eight above. FLS have submitted a translocation application for Glen Affric for 4 families/groups. Abriachan Forest Trust have also submitted a translocation application, with the original application being for one family. A discussion was had regarding whether applications can be made public and put on the NatureScot website. NatureScot are currently looking at the sharing of information as part of the Species Licensing Review. There are GDPR issues with private applications however public agency applications are going to be made public. 

AOB

Discussion of standard licence conditions for lethal control. 

From 27/2/25

AP 4: NatureScot to re-share the code of practice on Beaver lethal control with the group.

Natural dispersal - It was noted that beavers are present on the Clyde and are naturally expanding into Fife. These areas have not been subject to public engagement regarding translocations and hence there was discussion of the process with regard to the need for engagement and SEA. It was noted that all beaver releases require a licence, which triggers the need to follow the SCCT. Hence there is an expectation around engaging with stakeholders and it is already recognised this should be proportionate and may vary with circumstance.

Once the latest beaver survey is complete, the areas where beavers have colonised/ are expanding can be shared on a map with SE LINK. LINK members have also expressed an interest in road show style information session/s. As per AP 2, suggestion that the SBAG Comms sub-group to develop an information pack for areas where beaver are expanding their range that could be shared at information events by a range of parties. This type of engagement, where documented, could form part of a public engagement process. 

NatureScot noted they had recently attended the International Beaver Burrowing and Infrastructure conference (IBBI) in the Netherlands which had been very helpful for making European contacts and information sharing and offered to share some of the learning at the August meeting.

Date of Next Meeting: Thursday 8 May 2025 (Online) 10.30-12.30.