1-20 of 35 results for subject:Otters
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To ask His Majesty's Government which English counties, if any, do not have native wild otters.
To ask His Majesty's Government which English counties, if any, do not have native wild otters.
Published evidence shows European otters are present in every county in England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support otter conservation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support otter conservation.
This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature. Later this year we will publish a revised Environmental Improvement Plan which will set out how we will meet our ambitious Environment Act targets. These include legally binding biodiversity targets on species abundance, species extinction, and habitat creation and restoration, which will support many of our priority species including otter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into otter conservation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into otter conservation.
Nature conservation in the UK is mainly a devolved responsibility. We are therefore not currently funding any UK-wide research into otter conservation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on conservation of otters in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on conservation of otters in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
We have not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding the conservation of otters specifically in the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency. Nature conservation is mainly a devolved responsibility and the conservation of otters in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on measures to protect otter populations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on measures to protect otter populations.
We have not held discussions with the devolved Governments about measures to protect otter populations.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the otter population is growing or declining; and what assessment they have made of the current otter population level.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the otter population is growing or declining; and what assessment they have made of the current otter population level.
The results from the 2023 national otter surveys are expected to be published mid-2024.The results from the 2010 surveys show a varied picture: in England, the otter population was estimated at 2800 and probably increasing; in Scotland, the population was estimated at 8000 and possibly declining. Survey results from Wales in 2018 showed the population is in decline.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the otter population in England is increasing or decreasing; and what steps they intend to take (1) to protect otter habitats, and (2) to reduce otter deaths on the road.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the otter population in England is increasing or decreasing; and what steps they intend to take (1) to protect otter habitats, and (2) to reduce otter deaths on the road.
The latest National Survey for Otter in England (2009-2010) noted that the otter was increasing in most of England, with the possible exception of the very south-east where no signs were found in Kent and most of Sussex.
Otters are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. They are also listed as a species of principal importance under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Thirty-two sites have been notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their otter interest. There are five Special Areas of Conservation sites for the species and 10 further Special Areas of Conservation where otters are a qualifying feature but are not the primary reason for designation.
Due to the level of legal protection afforded to the otter, any new road scheme which has the potential to impact on the species must provide mitigation or compensation measures to prevent road mortality. Mitigation measures include the provision of pipes under roads or otter ledges within culverts.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats to the otter population in the UK; and what steps, if any, they are proposing to address any such threats.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats to the otter population in the UK; and what steps, if any, they are proposing to address any such threats.
The recently published sixth national otter survey of Wales (2015-18) showed a decline in the percentage of survey sites which had evidence of otters for the first time since the surveys began in the late 1970s. In England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Mammal Society are collaborating on a new national otter survey of England which is due to start later this year. By the end of next year we hope to have sufficient data to understand whether the England population has continued to recover and what threats, if any, may hinder recovery locally or nationally.
Under the Environment Act, this government has set a world leading target to halt the decline in species by 2030, and will also be setting targets to restore water quality. We expect actions to deliver these targets to support the continued recovery of native species like the otter.
My department will publish a Green Paper early this year which will look at how the regulatory framework can help drive the delivery of our 2030 target and reverse declines of species.
We are creating a Nature Recovery Network which will be a bigger, better quality and increasingly connected network of places that are richer in wildlife, support the recovery of species, and are more resilient to climate change and other pressures. At the core of the Network will be our existing best areas for nature, including protected sites and National Nature Reserves. As committed to in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we will also create or restore 500,000 hectares of additional wildlife-rich habitat beyond these existing areas. These actions will also help recover species like the otter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has put in place to ensure that the reintroduction of otters does not lead to a serious deterioration in fish stocks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has put in place to ensure that the reintroduction of otters does not lead to a serious deterioration in fish stocks.
Otters are now present in each county in England and there have been no reintroductions since the 1990s.
There is little evidence to suggest that otters have a major impact on fish populations in rivers as a whole, though localised impacts in rivers could occur where otters have not previously been present for some time.
We recognise that in some instances otters can adversely affect those who keep ornamental fish, and can damage an individual’s business and affect angling in some still water fisheries. As a result there is provision through the Angling Improvement Fund, administered by the Angling Trust on the Environment Agency’s behalf, to help deliver improvements including projects to protect fisheries from predation. Further information can be found on the Angling Trust’s website at: www.anglingtrust.net
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the size of the otter population in Kent;
[115763]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the size of the otter population in Kent;
[115763]
Since the publication of the last National Otter Survey report covering 2009-10 otter signs have been found in Kent confirming that the species is now present throughout England. This demonstrates the slow but gradual recovery of otter populations over this period, moving from west to east.
It is currently not possible to estimate otter abundance from the quantity and distribution of otter signs and sightings. Research investigating the possibility of assessing numbers of otters from DNA or chemical analysis of spraint (otter faeces) is ongoing.
There are no plans to reintroduce otters into any county; they have returned naturally.
(2) whether she has plans to reintroduce otters to Kent.
[115764]
Tracey Crouch:
(2) whether she has plans to reintroduce otters to Kent.
[115764]
Tracey Crouch:
Since the publication of the last National Otter Survey report covering 2009-10 otter signs have been found in Kent confirming that the species is now present throughout England. This demonstrates the slow but gradual recovery of otter populations over this period, moving from west to east.
It is currently not possible to estimate otter abundance from the quantity and distribution of otter signs and sightings. Research investigating the possibility of assessing numbers of otters from DNA or chemical analysis of spraint (otter faeces) is ongoing.
There are no plans to reintroduce otters into any county; they have returned naturally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the size of the otter population in the last 30 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the size of the otter population in the last 30 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the (a) size and (b) location of the wild otter population in England in the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the (a) size and (b) location of the wild otter population in England in the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of otters in the UK in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of otters in the UK in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors her Department has identified for the increase in the number of otters in the UK in the last five years; and whether her Department has provided incentives to encourage an increase in the otter population.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors her Department has identified for the increase in the number of otters in the UK in the last five years; and whether her Department has provided incentives to encourage an increase in the otter population.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to maintain the habitat of wild otters.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to maintain the habitat of wild otters.
I. Report into the potential effects of the project on the River Dee and Bala Lake special area of conservation. II. Llangollen railway otter survey and assessment.
I. Report into the potential effects of the project on the River Dee and Bala Lake special area of conservation. II. Llangollen railway otter survey and assessment.
How they propose that otters, mink and rats should be controlled if hunting with dogs becomes illegal. [HL 4289].
How they propose that otters, mink and rats should be controlled if hunting with dogs becomes illegal. [HL 4289].
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) environmental and wildlife groups and (b) fish farmers and their representative groups regarding the otter population in England; what steps she is taking to protect the otter population in England;...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) environmental and wildlife groups and (b) fish farmers and their representative groups regarding the otter population in England; what steps she is taking to protect the otter population in England;...
That this House welcomes the fourth Otter Survey of England, conducted by the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Wildlife Trusts, which reveals that the otter population in Britain has increased 527 per cent. since the first survey in 1977; notes that this is largely due to natural re-colonisation; further notes that otter numbers in Britain had previously come close to extinction; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to ensure that this species is protected so that numbers do not fall to such low levels again.
That this House welcomes the fourth Otter Survey of England, conducted by the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Wildlife Trusts, which reveals that the otter population in Britain has increased 527 per cent. since the first survey in 1977; notes that this is largely due to natural re-colonisation; further...