OTTER SPECIES ACTION PLAN

Action plan name

Somerset Otter ( Lutra lutra )

Background and vision

The otter is the largest and most charismatic predators still occurring in the UK. It is an important part of the natural heritage of the country, which holds internationally important populations. The otter makes an excellent indicator of the quality of wetlands and waterways as it relies heavily on clean rivers, streams and associated land to supply its food, and on at least one bankside having well developed vegetation to provide cover.

Otters are largely nocturnal creatures that lie up in “holts” (a cavity in a bank among tree roots or in brash or log-piles) or in above ground cover (in reeds or other vegetation) during the day. They might use more than 30 of these resting places within their home territory. Their long slender bodies and tail, together with their webbed feet, make them smooth swimmers and divers. As such their principal habitat in the South West is fresh water with banks where there is suitable cover.

Their linear territories can be as long as 40km, particularly for the males, although this is exceptional. Hunting takes place in 3-10km stretches per night. They feed primarily on fish such as eel and other fish species, but are also known to take vertebrates such as water-birds, as well as amphibians and invertebrates including crayfish and crabs.

1 Plan species and habitats

• Eel ( Anguilla anguilla ) and Bullhead ( Cottus gobio ) • Water Vole ( Arvicola terrestris ) • White-Clawed Crayfish ( Austropotamobius pallipes) • Coastal and Floodplain Grazing Marsh • Waterways (including rivers and streams) • Ditches and ponds

Species status

• Priority Species list published by the UK Biodiversity Group (1998) • Appendix 1 of CITES • Appendix 2 of Bern Convention • Annexes 2 and 4 of the EC “Habitats” Directive 1992 • Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 • Conservation (Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. • Classified as “vulnerable” by the IUCN

Before the 1960s the Otter was widespread in the UK. A nationwide decline linked to pollution reduced the population in Somerset to the verge of extinction. Otters were totally absent from most waterways for over 10 years, with their lowest number in 1984. By 1990 western rivers had been recolonised, and by 1995 they were well established as far north and east as Mendip, with a sparser population on the rivers flowing to the Bristol .

The 4 th National Otter Survey of 2002 gives these percentages for the catchments.

Percentages of sites surveyed which were positive (all sites pre-selected before first survey)

Area Survey 1 Survey 2 Survey 3 Survey 4 1977-79 1984-86 1991-94 2000-01 England 6 9 22 35

EA SW region (Devon and 23 43 67 83 Cornwall) EA region (Somerset, Dorset 1 0.6 17 40 etc) by river catchments

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N Devon streams 7 13 60 100 Exe 8 42 70 90 Taw 37 59 82 89 W Somerset streams 0 0 60 87 Otter and Sid 0 7 29 79 Parrett/Tone 0 0 14 55 Axe and Lim 0 7 20 47 N Somerset rivers 0 0 0 33 Brue and Axe 13 6 27 29 Bristol Avon 0 0 0 7

Potential risks/threats

• Prey base – decline in eel populations although other species at a health population. Water quality problems in some localised sites.

• Road and traffic deaths – culvert bridges, weirs, walls and other built features near roads, contribute to otters moving onto the highway and being killed by traffic.

• Pollutants – traces of potentially harmful substances are still being found in post-mortems. Dieldrin, a breakdown product of DDT has been implicated in the population crash in Otters in the latter half of the 20th century. The otter’s recovery and continued expansion is likely to reflect the banning of DDT use in Europe. Organochlorines (OC) are known to cause reproductive abnormalities and impair Vitamin A metabolism, possibly an indirect cause of retinal dysplasia (a distorted retina in the eye) and declining environmental OC levels may explain the otter's recovery and continued expansion, although the exact link is difficult to show. (EA report, Post mortem studies of otters (Lutra lutra ) found dead in England and Wales: health and ecotoxicology, 2007)

• Illegal killing of otters – illegal killing of otters may still occur

• Bile fluke – range of parasites, recently introduced in imported fish and being carried by prey species, known as ‘bile fluke’. It has recently been discovered in otters and is currently being investigated (EA report, 2007)

• Habitat destruction and degradation – loss of suitable habitat including riverside vegetation which provides cover and sites for holts.

3 • High river levels – high water levels can remove the ledge or a bank of a river and force the otter out of the river onto the road as they do not like swimming against the flow of the water.

Proposed partners

Natural England (NE) The Centre for Fisheries Environment and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT) Police Wildlife Officer Avon and Somerset Police Angling Associations Fishery owners

Confirmed partners

Environment Agency (EA) Somerset Otter Group (SOG) Somerset (SCC) Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Forestry Commission (FC) National Park Authority (ENPA)

Current action

• An action plan was published in 1995 in the UK Steering Group Report. • The JNCC have produced a framework for otter conservation (1995- 2000) • Ongoing monitoring and surveys by partners • Autopsies carried out on road casualties paid for by EA • Habitat improvements by partners • Forestry Commission staff are otter aware, and look for opportunities to advise owners how to create suitable habitat eg blackthorn clumps on quiet headlands • Advice given to farmers, fishery owners and others by partners • Sympathetic management of water courses by partners • Monitoring water quality and fishers by the EA • Consideration of otters in planning applications and where appropriate sensitive management is encouraged

Target description and goal

1. Support the continuing monitoring of otter populations in Somerset Goal: 1 survey per year

4 2. Collect and collate survey data to measure trends and identify shortfalls Goal: 1 report per year 3. Improve river habitat through projects and opportunities provided by development Goal: 4 improvements identified 4. Identify and alleviate physical threats to otters and barriers to free movement of elvers and migratory fish Goal: 3 per year 5. Provide advice to farmers, fishery owners and others on appropriate management for otters Goal : 4 visits/advice per year

Key factors

• Engagement with partners • Funding • Commitment from group members • Ongoing awareness of staff of importance of otters in all council departments and all relevant local authorities e.g. Highways

5 SOMERSET OTTER SPECIES ACTION PLAN

Management

Action text Lead Action start Action goals Key partners Funding organisation and end link to target dates Encourage sympathetic EA 2008-2012 100% of schemes IDB No funding required solutions to river and submitted DCs Target 3 and 4 highway engineering Highways Agency schemes for otters. ENPA Include habitat provision DCs 2008-2012 100% of SCC No funding required in waterside development applications EA Target 3 schemes and ensure submitted SOG appropriate ongoing management. Identify habitat creation DCs 2008-2012 At least 2 Projects SCC Funding required (corridor links) in 2 EA Target 3 targeted areas. DCs Wessex Water IDB Promote the sensitive FC 2008-2012 100% of FWAG No funding required management of woodland woodlands ENPA Target 3 adjacent to watercourses on FC and private land. Improve riverside FWAG By 2010 5km of stock EA Funding required management and the fencing where this ENPA Target 4 and 5 carrying capacity for does not conflict otters in watercourses. with other biodiversity management Maintain existing SCC (Highways 2008-2012 1 reflector Highways Agency External funding reflectors and allow for BAP) maintained required for new new ones where schemes appropriate. Target 4 Ensure that underpasses SCC (Highways 2008-2012 100% where Highways Agency External funding or ledges are provided in BAP) appropriate required for new the design of new road schemes schemes and provided for Target 3

6 in maintenance of existing infrastructure. Policy and legislation

Safeguard otter and fish DCs 2008-2012 100% Planning SERC No funding required habitat through the SCC applications take ENPA Target 3 planning system. otters into account

Advise fishery managers EA 2008-2012 At least 5 SOG No funding required about otters and otter visits/advice per FWAG Target 5 exclusions. year SCC DCs ENPA Encourage fresh dead SOG 2008-2012 Remind relevant Highways Agency No funding required otters to be delivered to organizations DCs Target 1 the appropriate research annually of need Interoute programme. to do this and how ENPA to report. Collate information from Wildlife By 2012 Report updated at EA No funding required suitable autopsies of dead Veterinary least once in Target 2 otters. Investigation Centre lifetime of BAP handled the EA work

Ensure that new sluices, EA 2008-2012 100% where IDB At least partially funded dams and weirs contain appropriate SCC as part of Water Level measures that allow for Management plans the movement of otter Target 4 and elver in watercourses where appropriate. Education and awareness

Encourage grant uptake NE 2008-2012 All relevant agri- SWT Funding required such as Agri-environment environment FWAG Target 3 and 5 schemes with the aim of schemes NFU improving otter habitat. applications should include options to improve otter habitat Use this charismatic SCC 2008-2012 At least 3 articles DCs Funding required? species to publicise or publications SWT Target 5

7 biodiversity issues in ENPA Somerset. Set up workshops to raise SCC 2008-2012 At least 2 SOG Funding required awareness of otters and DCs Workshops Target 5 their requirements among advisors and land managers.

Information and data

Seek to support research Somerset 2008-2012 1 Database SOG Funding required into otter populations and Biodiversity Target 1 and 2 the publishing of reports Management and production of a Group database at SERC. Organise a conference to SCC 2008-2012 At least 1 EA Funding required get interested groups Conference SWT Target 2 together to share information on risks and threats. Ensure that current work EA 2008-2012 1 Data and report SERC No funding required on eel and elver Target 2 populations is fed back into otter plans and data is made available to SERC. Maintain road casualty SCC (Highways 2008-2012 At least 1 report SOG No funding required GIS database BAP) per year EA Target 1 Highways Agency Rebuilding biodiversity (Nature Map)

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Economy and business

Encourage businesses and SWT 2008-2012 At least 2 FWAG No funding required landmanagers to carry businesses Target 5 out sensitive riverside engaged management.

8 Identify a business to Somerset 2008-2012 1 Business FWAG No funding required sponsor an otter? Biodiversity identified Target 5 Management Group

Communities, health and well-being

Introduce an otter project Somerset 2008-2012 At least 1 School SOG No funding required? to schools. Biodiversity Project Target 5 Management Group

Involve the general public SOG 2008-2012 At least 1 Otter Somerset County No funding required? in an otter survey and survey and Council Target 5 provide training. training session DCs Climate change N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tourism / access

Develop and promote a RSPB 2008-2012 1 Project SOG Funding required? project for otter watching NE promoted EA Target 5 on the ? SCC

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