Published: Tuesday, 30th September, 2008 11:00
Fishery bosses want beavers banned
By David Knox
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FISHERY bosses from the Borders are spearheading a bid to block beavers returning to Scotland.
A study carried out by the Tweed Foundation has found that the rodents’ return to local rivers would harm lucrative salmon stocks.
And beaver dams would also prevent sea trout from returning to the spawning grounds.
The findings have sparked the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards to write to environment minister Mike Russell opposing plans for the reintroduction of the creatures.
Hugh Campbell Adamson, chairman of the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards, told the Border Telegraph: “Scotland’s salmon fishery boards have a statutory duty to ensure that there is a free passage within our river systems for salmon and sea trout.
“Beavers are designed to damn streams. If their damns impede fish migration and access to the maximum amount of spawning habitat, then surely it is recklessly irresponsible to release them into the Scottish countryside.”
The Scottish Government granted a licence earlier this year for around 20 beavers from Norway to be set free in Argyll next year.
And if the trial period is successful, campaigners are hoping to extend the population across the entire country.
Mr Campbell Adamson added: “We have no option but to maintain an unequivocal and fundamental objection to any further trial introductions of European beaver in Scotland.”
Scientists monitored spawning runs of sea trout up one of River Tweed’s smaller tributaries.
And they found that unless the burn is freely flowing during the autumn run in August, few fish can reach their upstream spawning ground.
Dr Ronald Campbell, biologist with the Tweed Foundation, completed the comprehensive review into the impact of beaver damns.
He stated: “There has been an assumption by the beaver lobby that salmon and sea trout have no existing problems in running up their spawning burns but this is simply not true.
“Monitoring of spawning runs of sea trout up a small tributary of the River Tweed has shown that a particular level of water flow is needed.
“Without the right flow at the right time, no fish at all make it.
“Similar requirements must exist all over Scotland and adding beaver damns to these already difficult situations could severely impact national stocks.”
The River Tweed’s salmon fishing industry sustains around 480 jobs and boosts the local economy by as much as £18million each year.
But there is significant support for the return of the riverside rodents who were hunted to extinction throughout the UK almost 500 years ago.
And both the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are firmly behind reintroducing the mammals.
David Windmill, Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: "We will work with all the various stakeholders involved in the project to make it a success and to benefit from the contribution the beaver can make to improving our natural ecosystems and habitats as well as encouraging tourism.
"We are very pleased to have so much support for this project and anticipate a great deal of public interest in the long awaited return of the beaver to Scotland."
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