Sea Eagle Management Scheme - Information for Applicants
Information
The Sea Eagle Management Scheme (SEMS), which has been in place since 2015, was revised in 2020 to provide more flexibility for famers and crofters who wish to implement management to mitigate against the impacts caused by sea eagles across their breeding range in Scotland.
Following work done under the Sea Eagle Action Plan to develop a toolbox of management measures, the revised scheme aims to roll out support for farmers and crofters wishing to undertake these measures.
The aim of the scheme is to reduce the impacts of sea eagles on affected farms and crofts.
The Sea Eagle Management Scheme is managed by local stakeholder groups set up across the sea eagle range and administered, on their behalf, NatureScot
The stakeholder groups are represented on a national stakeholder group comprising representatives from NatureScot, National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), RSPB Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID), Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) and Scottish Raptor Study Group (SRSG). Stakeholder groups have been set up in Argyll & Lochaber and Skye & Lochalsh. Other groups may be established where the demand arises.
How does the Scheme work
The revised scheme will operate from 2020 onwards, subject to budget approval. Practical support under the Scheme is available through:
- Provision of one-to-one advice from experienced contractors to land managers experiencing sea eagle impacts
- Co-ordination of recording/ logging of sea eagle activity and flock management information at a farm/ croft level
- Loan of scaring equipment
- Payments to land managers who undertake management measures which mitigate sea eagle impacts as part of their livestock management, through Management Agreements.
What area does the Scheme cover
The Scheme is available at all locations where sea eagles breed within Scotland. The core areas for breeding sea eagles are currently the Inner and Outer Hebrides including Mull and Skye, and also parts of mainland Argyll, Lochaber and Wester Ross.
How to Apply
Anyone who is experiencing sea eagle impacts and would like to participate in the Scheme should either:
- Complete a ‘Register of Interest’ (RoI) form downloaded from the website or requested from NatureScot, and return it to NatureScot Cameron House, Albany Street, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4AE or email it to [email protected]
- Contact their local NatureScot office who will inform a member of the Sea Eagle Management Team.
- NatureScot or their contractors will supply you with an application form following a site visit.
Completed application forms should be sent by email to the Sea Eagle Management Scheme Mailbox - [email protected] or sent by post to NatureScot Oban Office – NatureScot Oban, Cameron House, Albany Street, Oban, Argyll & Bute, PA34 4AE
Application forms should be completed with as much detail as possible and must include a map of your holding and details of management proposals. Forms with insufficient information will be returned to you and may not be assessed or may only qualify for a basic level of funding (£500).
What the Scheme can offer
NatureScot staff will arrange for an advisor to respond to Registers of Interest and investigate on behalf of the local stakeholder group.
Scheme advisors will contact you directly* and:
*In preparation for a discussion with an advisor it will be helpful for you to have any records of sea eagle interactions with livestock available. It will also be helpful to discuss your management regime with the advisor.
- Investigate, as far as possible, what sea eagle activity is occurring in the vicinity of the farm.
- Help gather evidence of sea eagle impacts and the recording of any livestock losses due to sea eagles or other causes.
- Advise on measures to mitigate against sea eagle impacts.
- Arrange to loan equipment, where applicable, to use as deterrents or other mitigation.
- Make recommendations to NatureScot and the local stakeholder group on support for longer term management agreed with, and carried out by, the livestock manager.
Funding is available to support a range of measures to help support farmers and crofters manage land and livestock to mitigate the impacts of sea eagles.
Management Agreements
You can apply for funding to carry out certain measures if you manage sheep and other livestock in the presence of breeding sea eagles. Management measures should ideally be discussed/agreed with NatureScot staff or call-off contractors before applications are submitted. Management supported under any previous SEMS agreements will be taken into consideration when assessing your application.
The measures you can opt for are
- Standard sheep management measures -See Para. 7 for more details.
- Enhanced management measures – See Para. 8 for more details.
- Capital measures – See Para. 9 for more details
Options 1 and 2 can be combined up to a maximum annual payment of £5000 but Option 3 cannot be combined with the other options.
If including Options 1 and 2, Applicants with a successful Application will be offered a one year SEMS Agreement with NatureScot.
If applying for Option 3, successful Applicants will be offered a three year SEMS Agreement with NatureScot. Payment for capital measures will be made in the 1st year of a 3 year Agreement only.
Proposals for enhanced management or capital measures must be discussed and agreed with NatureScot prior to the submission of an application.
Management Agreements are limited to 1 SEMS Agreement per agricultural business unless you manage two or more distinct flocks which are affected by different pairs of Sea Eagles.
Standard sheep management measures and payment rates
A range of standard measures is listed below. Your application should set out the measures you propose to carry out, and how these will help reduce the risk of sea eagle predation on livestock. Other measures will also be considered if supported by a justification.
| Standard Sheep Measures | Payment Rates |
|---|---|
| Labour and shepherding costs at key times (e.g. lambing). | £8.18/hour |
| Treatment of tick and fluke to improve sheep health | £4.50/ewe |
| Supplementary feeding and nutrition/mineral blocks | £4.00/ewe |
| Scanning of ewes for separation of those with twins | £0.80/ewe |
Measures are subject to area and financial limits as detailed below.
Payment limits for standard sheep management measures
There are limits to the amount you can claim for standard sheep measures. These are based on the area of land involved and the levels of sea eagle activity in your area.
The maximum possible allowance for standard sheep management measures on your holding is £1500, with the minimum being £500. This can be calculated as follows
- First 10 hectares: £15/ha
- 11 - 100 hectares: £7.50/ha
- 101 - 1000 hectares: £0.75/ha
Examples:
- for 100ha, the limit is £825/yr (10ha @ £15, plus 90ha @ £7.50).
- for 500ha, the limit is £1125/yr (10ha @ £15, plus 90ha @ £7.50, plus 400ha @£0.75).
- for 1000ha, the limit is £1500/yr (10ha @ £15, plus 90ha @ £7.50, plus 900ha @£0.75).
Support for enhanced management measures
Support of up to £5,000 per annum for enhanced management measures may be available. If the proposed enhanced management costs are below £5,000 you can apply for standard measures to work alongside enhanced management up to the maximum level of £5,000 per annum where a detailed supporting justification is provided.
This can apply where:
- there is considered to be significant impacts from sea eagles
- the application sets out a clear rationale on why the proposal will reduce the impacts
- the application is supported by the Local Stakeholder Group.
Examples of enhanced management measures include;
- additional shepherding that includes a monitoring and scaring element with a methodology and reporting format agreed with NatureScot;
- other measures agreed by NatureScot e.g. sponging of ewes
Please see the Supporting Annex Document for further information
Applications for enhanced management measures must be discussed and agreed with NatureScot in advance.
Payment rates for enhanced management measures
| Enhanced Management Measures | Payment Rates |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Shepherding - to provide a scaring and monitoring element (with an agreed plan) | £12.80/hour |
| Away wintering of sheep | £20.67/per head |
| **Other—Management necessary to manage sheep around Sea Eagles | Contribution to actual cost |
** These items do not have a standard rate. Payments will be based on actual costs and applications must be discussed in advance with NatureScot.
Capital Measures
NatureScot will support capital measures which are aimed at reducing sea eagle impacts on livestock in certain circumstances. NatureScot will pay 50 or 60 % of the actual costs (depending on MA term), up to a maximum of £10,000, as a contribution towards capital works.
Payment for capital measures will be made in the 1st year of a 3 year Agreement only.
Capital measures can be supported where:
- there is considered to be significant impacts from sea eagles
- the application sets out a clear rationale on why the proposal will reduce the impacts
- the application is supported by the Local Stakeholder Group.
Examples of capital measures include;
- purchase of scaring devices
- creation of lambing parks to allow vulnerable stock to be moved away from sites at risk of predation at key times;
- development of lambing sheds or polytunnels;
Capital measures must be discussed and agreed in advance with NatureScot.
Please see Supporting Annex document for further information.
| Capital Measures | Payment Rates |
|---|---|
| Improving fertility of the ground through lime/slag application in order to enhance condition of stock and reduce the vulnerability of lambs to predation. Only semi-improved land will be eligible. No unimproved ground can be incorporated into this measure. | 50 or 60% contribution to actual cost |
| Re-seeding of core hay/silage/grazing fields in order to enhance condition of stock and reduce the vulnerability of lambs to predation. (Specific fields to be agreed with scheme administrators). | 50 or 60% contribution to actual cost |
|
Stock Fencing (only new fencing is eligible) * * If your holding is a Registered Croft you cannot apply for stock fencing through the SEMS as support is available through CAGS and your SEMS Application should instead target other options. |
50 or 60% contribution to actual cost or 50 or 60% contribution to total cost if using standard rate of £5.50 per metre for those carrying out work themselves. |
| Contribution towards the creation of new hill parks | 50 or 60% contribution to actual cost |
| Development of lambing sheds or shelters and/or polytunnels | 50 or 60% contribution to actual cost |
| Purchase of scaring/deterrent devices | Contribution to actual cost |
| Other—Management necessary to manage sheep around Sea Eagles ** | 50 or 60% contribution to actual cost |
The contribution offered will be in line with other schemes such as CAGS and will be capped at 50 or 60% of the actual cost depending on the Management Agreement term. Two quotes are required for capital items and NatureScot will use the cheapest quote provided in line with our Management Agreement Policy.
Positive management to benefit sea eagles
You can apply to carry out management which is likely to benefit sea eagles. There is no set menu of options and each proposal will be considered on its merits.
Proposals could include improving availability of the sea eagles’ preferred natural prey, which is a combination of water birds, wildfowl and fish (for example, by creating fish ponds or habitat for wildfowl). Supplementary feeding with approved carcass material might be appropriate in some circumstances and through following a detailed methodology agreed by NatureScot & RSPB (for example, in late winter in order to heft birds to preferred sites). Measures to improve nest sites, or sites regularly used for roosting by adult or immature birds, might include selective felling and restructuring of forestry, or other woodland management. Work to reinforce nests, or provide nest platforms, may also be eligible, particularly if supported by a nest site management plan agreed with FLS and NatureScot (under FLS’s guidance for woodland management and sea eagles).
Payment will be based upon a discretionary percentage of actual costs. You must discuss your proposals with your local NatureScot office before sending in an application.
Other requirements
Other requirements of a Management Agreement include the following:
- Record keeping: you must maintain a Flock Management & Sea Eagle Incident Log, which should be submitted annually to NatureScot. A template will be provided.
- Double Funding: You will need to demonstrate that any other public funding received for the same projects does not constitute double funding.
The full terms and conditions of the scheme will be included in every Management Agreement.
How to claim
Claim forms will be provided by NatureScot. These should be completed and returned to your local NatureScot office.
Annual works such as shepherding should be claimed at the end of each year. A claims schedule will be provided in your management agreement.
You can claim for capital works once they are completed. For any actual cost capital works, payment will be based on actual costs quoted by suppliers. You will need to provide proof that the work has been done and submit receipted invoices when you submit a claim. We may carry out on-site inspections to verify claims prior to payment being made.
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