Chamber
Plenary, 30 Oct 2008
30 Oct 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Non-native Invasive Species
The Liberal Democrats welcome the publication of the strategy. Its implementation will be crucial in safeguarding Scotland's most vulnerable native plants and animals and will, in the long term, help to protect ecosystems. Scotland is world-renowned for its flora and fauna, and we all have a responsibility to protect those jewels in the crown of our environment. Indeed, the UK has an obligation to deal with invasives as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Many true alien species may now be regarded as native, such as the rabbit, which was introduced by the Normans, and the sycamore, which was introduced by the Celts, but no one is proposing eliminating those from our countryside. Harmful invasive species, however, can alter the structure of ecosystems through repressing or excluding native species, either by directly out-competing them—as is the case with grey and red squirrels—or by indirectly changing the way in which nutrients are cycled through the system. The danger is that entire ecosystems become permanently skewed.
It is important, therefore, that we deal with the problem timeously rather than wait for it to become unmanageable and expensive. That approach is endorsed by the strategy, which views prevention as a key to tackling the problem of invasive species. The strategy acknowledges the good work that has been achieved through the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, but it also identifies the need for a more cohesive and comprehensive policy approach. The strategy's intention is to build on existing legislation, but any legislation must fast-track the existing system. The point of my amendment, which I will come to, is to address that.
I mention at this point the work of Tweed Forum, which deals with the particular problems of giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam—or touch-me-not, as it is commonly known—and Japanese knotweed in the Tweed catchment. Those plants are all, as Elaine Murray pointed out, garden introductions.
The Tweed invasives project has been successful but, like other projects, it now needs resources to complete the job and, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment mentioned, to save money in the medium and the long term. The project's key to success is, of course, the local knowledge within the forum, but the difficulty is the time it takes to gain licences through agencies so that non-native species can be tackled before they become invasive.
The same goes for the American signal crayfish, which has now reached endemic proportions in the south of Scotland—in Loch Ken in particular, and in the Tweed. It is being tackled by the Tweed Foundation and the Galloway Fisheries Trust: fishing in those areas brings in large incomes and the amphibious crayfish is a serious threat to the economy of Scotland. Resources are needed to tackle that alien now because not only is it a faster breeder than our native crayfish, it is a more ferocious eater of salmon par and trout alevins, which, I inform the cabinet secretary, are small fry.
The point of my amendment is that local groups need to take the lead by having responsibility and authority for an agreed catchment area that potentially takes in more than one local authority area and local groups with an environmental focus.Tweed Forum treated the Tweed as a whole catchment because the seeds and rhizomes of the giant hogweed and knotweed were shown to travel through watercourses. Treating the whole river system as one catchment is rather more effective than simply stopping at any borders. Tweed Forum worked with Northumberland County Council, for example, because co-operation is key.
The biosecurity planning project that is under way again is welcome. It will build on the existing knowledge base to realise a biosecurity plan template and plans, rapid response protocols and databases, together with awareness raising and training. That is good planning, but what is needed now is for the Scottish Government to take a lead in the UK to deal proactively with the problem of invasives. Crucially, it has been repeated to me that the Scottish Government also needs to agree that control and eradication measures can be put in place when invasive species are first detected and not just when they are shown to be damaging, which can be years later, often too late and—by then—too expensive to tackle.
Localised measures do not commit the Scottish Government to limitless expenditure on invasives, but could be taken by empowering local groups with professional staff, such as the Tweed Foundation, Tweed Forum, the Galloway Fisheries Trust and the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, so that they can take local action to meet local problems as they identify them through local plans on the ground and in the water.
Quick access to funding is an issue. If they have resources, local bodies can control non-native species early on, not just when they are established as an invasives problem. Dealing with any problem early on will keep costs down. Best value is good government.
I have carped on a wee bit about fish today, but I believe that we have the knowledge and means in Scotland to deal with the problem of non-native invasives in a practical way. I have outlined briefly in my speech the importance of local action plans and quick responses. Many groups and organisations are involved, so communication will be paramount in setting up local initiatives to tackle invasive species now. I hope that the minister and cabinet secretary will consider speeding up the licensing process to tackle non-native species.
I am glad that the Government and Labour support my amendment. We will support the Labour amendment, although ours goes a little further and focuses on the need for fast local action.
I move amendment S3M-2777.1, to insert at end:
"recognises that prevention and early intervention are vital in protecting native species, habitats and ecosystems, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to work with local organisations with a remit for the protection of Scotland's natural environment to find ways to expedite the timeous implementation of measures at a local level and to report back to the Parliament with the findings."
Many true alien species may now be regarded as native, such as the rabbit, which was introduced by the Normans, and the sycamore, which was introduced by the Celts, but no one is proposing eliminating those from our countryside. Harmful invasive species, however, can alter the structure of ecosystems through repressing or excluding native species, either by directly out-competing them—as is the case with grey and red squirrels—or by indirectly changing the way in which nutrients are cycled through the system. The danger is that entire ecosystems become permanently skewed.
It is important, therefore, that we deal with the problem timeously rather than wait for it to become unmanageable and expensive. That approach is endorsed by the strategy, which views prevention as a key to tackling the problem of invasive species. The strategy acknowledges the good work that has been achieved through the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, but it also identifies the need for a more cohesive and comprehensive policy approach. The strategy's intention is to build on existing legislation, but any legislation must fast-track the existing system. The point of my amendment, which I will come to, is to address that.
I mention at this point the work of Tweed Forum, which deals with the particular problems of giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam—or touch-me-not, as it is commonly known—and Japanese knotweed in the Tweed catchment. Those plants are all, as Elaine Murray pointed out, garden introductions.
The Tweed invasives project has been successful but, like other projects, it now needs resources to complete the job and, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment mentioned, to save money in the medium and the long term. The project's key to success is, of course, the local knowledge within the forum, but the difficulty is the time it takes to gain licences through agencies so that non-native species can be tackled before they become invasive.
The same goes for the American signal crayfish, which has now reached endemic proportions in the south of Scotland—in Loch Ken in particular, and in the Tweed. It is being tackled by the Tweed Foundation and the Galloway Fisheries Trust: fishing in those areas brings in large incomes and the amphibious crayfish is a serious threat to the economy of Scotland. Resources are needed to tackle that alien now because not only is it a faster breeder than our native crayfish, it is a more ferocious eater of salmon par and trout alevins, which, I inform the cabinet secretary, are small fry.
The point of my amendment is that local groups need to take the lead by having responsibility and authority for an agreed catchment area that potentially takes in more than one local authority area and local groups with an environmental focus.Tweed Forum treated the Tweed as a whole catchment because the seeds and rhizomes of the giant hogweed and knotweed were shown to travel through watercourses. Treating the whole river system as one catchment is rather more effective than simply stopping at any borders. Tweed Forum worked with Northumberland County Council, for example, because co-operation is key.
The biosecurity planning project that is under way again is welcome. It will build on the existing knowledge base to realise a biosecurity plan template and plans, rapid response protocols and databases, together with awareness raising and training. That is good planning, but what is needed now is for the Scottish Government to take a lead in the UK to deal proactively with the problem of invasives. Crucially, it has been repeated to me that the Scottish Government also needs to agree that control and eradication measures can be put in place when invasive species are first detected and not just when they are shown to be damaging, which can be years later, often too late and—by then—too expensive to tackle.
Localised measures do not commit the Scottish Government to limitless expenditure on invasives, but could be taken by empowering local groups with professional staff, such as the Tweed Foundation, Tweed Forum, the Galloway Fisheries Trust and the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, so that they can take local action to meet local problems as they identify them through local plans on the ground and in the water.
Quick access to funding is an issue. If they have resources, local bodies can control non-native species early on, not just when they are established as an invasives problem. Dealing with any problem early on will keep costs down. Best value is good government.
I have carped on a wee bit about fish today, but I believe that we have the knowledge and means in Scotland to deal with the problem of non-native invasives in a practical way. I have outlined briefly in my speech the importance of local action plans and quick responses. Many groups and organisations are involved, so communication will be paramount in setting up local initiatives to tackle invasive species now. I hope that the minister and cabinet secretary will consider speeding up the licensing process to tackle non-native species.
I am glad that the Government and Labour support my amendment. We will support the Labour amendment, although ours goes a little further and focuses on the need for fast local action.
I move amendment S3M-2777.1, to insert at end:
"recognises that prevention and early intervention are vital in protecting native species, habitats and ecosystems, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to work with local organisations with a remit for the protection of Scotland's natural environment to find ways to expedite the timeous implementation of measures at a local level and to report back to the Parliament with the findings."
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-2777, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on non-native invasive species.
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead):
SNP
I am delighted to open the debate on invasive non-native species and to commend "The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain". Befor...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
The cabinet secretary mentioned angling. He must know that many anglers are worried about the possible introduction of the parasite Gyrodactylus salaris. In ...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Jamie McGrigor raises an important issue. He will be aware that we recently published a strategy on freshwater fisheries in Scotland that addresses that dise...
Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab):
Lab
The reaction of many people to hearing that the Scottish Parliament is spending time debating a strategy on invasive non-native species might well be to ask,...
Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD):
LD
The Liberal Democrats welcome the publication of the strategy. Its implementation will be crucial in safeguarding Scotland's most vulnerable native plants an...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I apologise in advance if my voice gives out before my time is up. Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Rhododendron ponticum, grey squirrel and American mink a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We move to the open debate, with speeches of no more than six minutes.
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
So exciting was the debate so far that I managed to break the podium on the desk over there. I hope that we can all calm down a bit now.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
It will, no doubt, be deducted from your salary.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
Obviously, there is a need for a strategy because the invasion of non-native species is a huge issue that affects a wide range of economic activity in the co...
The Minister for Environment (Michael Russell):
SNP
It is not over yet.
Roseanna Cunningham:
SNP
So—there is no final figure. Obviously, research is extremely important as well.As has been mentioned, one of the three strands of the invasive non-native sp...
Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
Non-native species do not normally get an airing in Parliament. Perhaps that is one of the benefits of a by-election taking place in a certain place shortly....
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I welcome this debate, as I welcomed the publication of the strategy document earlier in the year. I agree with the framework strategy's stark message that t...
Michael Russell:
SNP
Does the member accept that the beaver is not an invasive species and that, indeed, the beaver has been in Scotland for longer even than the McGrigors, who p...
Jamie McGrigor:
Con
Many of my constituents simply do not see the beaver trial as a reintroduction, because they are not convinced that beavers ever lived in Argyll.I draw the m...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The member's time is up.
Jamie McGrigor:
Con
I will sum up. It is important that people are included in the equation. That point should guide us constantly as we move forward.I do not want to give the i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Order. The debate is oversubscribed.
Jamie McGrigor:
Con
Thank you.
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
I will make a short declaration in Gaelic, which I will then repeat in English. Bu chaomh leam a ràdh ris an SNP nach do bhàsaich mi fhathast agus gu bheil i...
Michael Russell:
SNP
I counsel the member to be cautious in what he says. It is important to point out that Scottish Natural Heritage, with the community, is investigating what i...
John Farquhar Munro:
LD
I thank the minister for that rebuke, but the evidence has been produced not only in Gairloch but in the north end of Skye and Glenelg. One of my crofting ne...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP):
SNP
I speak as a member of probably the world's most corrosive species: our own Homo sapiens, which originated in Africa and entered Scotland only in the past 10...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the debate. It is good to see that Governments are co-operating on how to deal with non-native species. Their co-operation is welcomed and encourag...
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
It is with some caution that I enter this debate, being myself a non-native species that wafted into Scotland some 55 years ago. I hope, however, that I will...
Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD):
LD
I have often found it helpful, in preparing for such debates, to consider whether there is a local angle so that I can embellish my thoughts with some local ...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
The debate has been unexpectedly good. The Scottish Conservatives recognise the importance of controlling the invasive non-native species that threaten biodi...
Elaine Murray:
Lab
At the beginning of debates such as this, I often wonder whether I ought to declare that, many years ago, we took out a family membership of the RSPB. Of cou...