Eagle aid delay row

MIDST of lambing if they’re not told if they’re getting funded or not?

“To many of us that suffer significant impacts to our businesses with predation, it seems that officials cannot understand or care the seriousness of the issues or they would have already allowed Nature Scot to issue the 2024 contracts.”

Mr Colthart states that the apex predator was never asked for by the farming or crofting community and that the birds are challenging the viability of west coast flocks.

In February NatureScot allocated a budget in the region of £400,000 for around 200 participants and contractors who monitor the birds whilst supporting farmers and crofters on the ground.

The white tailed eagle action plan and SEMS are currently being reviewed for 2025 onwards.

NFU Scotland is pushing for the budget to be increased significantly to support impacted farmers and crofters with appropriate support to help mitigate the damage caused by the birds. The eagles, according to charitable organisations, bring in millions of pounds into the local economies through tourism.

Mr Colthart added: “Out of the 180-plus nesting pairs in Scotland around 20 pairs nest on Mull so if you believed the quoted millions that supposedly benefit the economy, one nest’s ‘value’ to the economy on Mull is more than the whole scheme budget. This is a real slap in the face of farmers and crofters whose lambs many of the birds feed on.”

A NatureScot spokesperson said: “NatureScot is committed to running the Sea Eagle Management Scheme this year to provide support to farmers and crofters affected by predation and we are currently finalising the details.”