The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Local goose schemes take flight

20/09/2000

Scottish Executive Ministers today gave the go-ahead for four new local goose management schemes.

The schemes will come into operation in Islay, Kintyre, the Solway area and South Walls (in Orkney) this Autumn and will be administered by Scottish Natural Heritage.

The new schemes are designed to assist farmers and crofters whose holdings are most seriously affected by the large numbers of protected migratory geese which over-winter in Scotland. Minister for Rural Affairs Ross Finnie said:

"I am pleased to see these four schemes coming forward for approval. A great deal of hard work has been invested in the search for innovative responses to some difficult challenges. I would like to acknowledge the efforts, at both local and national level, which have made the introduction of these new schemes possible within such a short time.

"In recommending these proposals, it is clear that the National Goose Management Review Group has carefully evaluated the detailed plans put forward by local groups. All four areas covered by the schemes will benefit from significant funding.

"In the case of Kintyre, this will be the first time that money for goose management initiatives has been made available, and Islay will gain an additional £120,000 over and above the £450,000 which has been available under the old compensation arrangements.

"In total, the Scottish Executive and SNH will be making nearly £0.75 million available to fund the new management schemes. That represents a serious commitment to implementing solutions and making the new national policy work."

Sarah Boyack, Minister for Transport and the Environment, commented:

"The National Goose Management Review Group has been clear in its recommendation of each scheme. All four plans reflect the nationally-recognised need to balance agricultural and conservation interests. Each has been developed by local groups, through the active involvement of those most directly affected.

"This is a practical example of representatives of farming, crofting, nature conservation and sport-shooting sectors working productively together to find common ground and workable solutions. These efforts provide a very positive, and encouraging, example of shared commitment to the well-being of both Scotland's natural heritage and our rural communities."

BACKGROUND

1. Each scheme has been developed by a local group comprising farmers, crofters and other interested local representatives. Local groups were formed as a result of public meetings held in the Spring to discuss the recommendations of the National Goose Forum(NGF).
2. Local groups have all been required to develop their proposals within the overall parameters of a national policy framework established by the NGF recommendations. But they have also enjoyed considerable lee-way in adapting their plans to specific local circumstances. All proposed schemes were vetted and evaluated at the national level by a National Goose Management Review Group (NGMRG) which consists of representatives of farming, crofting, nature conservation land-owning and sport-shooting bodies (i.e. NFUS, SCU, SNH, RSPB, WWT, SLF and BASC). The NGMRG was set up in May in implementation of a key NGF recommendation.
3. The four schemes which have now been approved by the NGMRG will each be able to call on substantial funding. This funding will be administered by Scottish Natural Heritage The total cost of each scheme, as estimated by the NGMRG, will be:

4. Islay £569,000

   The Solway £100,000

   Kintyre £61,000

   South Walls £18,600

   TOTAL £748,000

5. Both the Solway and South Walls have enjoyed successful management schemes in the past and both areas will see the continuation of significant funding for the development of what have been broadly-supported and effective initiatives.
6. Kintyre gains a goose management scheme for the first time under the NGMRG recommendations, with an important influx of new funding which recognises the scale of the goose "problem" in the area.
7. Islay is the big winner under the new arrangements, with a £120,000 (or 25%) increase in the total funding available, as compared to payments under the old Islay Voluntary Goose Management Scheme. (IVGMS). Goose management payments on Islay now account for nearly three-quarters of the nationally-available budget, in recognition of the importance of the island as a destination for over-wintering flocks of protected Greenland barnacle and white-fronted geese.

7. Full implementation of all four schemes remains subject to general technical approval by the European Commission of a range of UK nature conservation management agreements.

News Release: SE2507/2000
20 Sep 2000