OTTER (LUTRA LUTRA)
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! ACTION COMPLETED IN 2005

1. Cheshire region Otter LBAP Action Group continued to meet regularly during 2005. British Waterways were recruited onto the group.
2. Database of otter records extended to include a number of new records collected during 2005.
3. Arrangements made with landowners to construct four new artificial otter holts during autumn 2005 at sites in Macclesfield Forest, River Dane near Congleton, River Bollin near Wilmslow and Chadkirk Country Park in Stockport.
4. Two training events held for volunteer otter surveyors.
5. Environment Agency funded survey carried out by independent consultants provided comprehensive coverage of all main catchments in Cheshire except for Dane.
6. Environment Agency officers conducted survey of several sites along River Dane.
7. Additional survey work carried out by Cheshire Wildlife Trust along River Weaver and canal network in south of region.
8. Several landowners approached for sites to install video-monitoring equipment. BASC have provided a suitable site, via their membership, along the River Gowy for CWT to site video recording equipment.
9. Several otter related talks have been given to a variety of audiences including a presentation to the Cheshire Water Forum Conference at Crewe Alex football stadium in July.
10. Advice about appropriate habitat management for otters and riparian mammals given to landowners.
11. Landowner leaflet in production.
12. Otter issues dicussed at Stillwater BAP meetings.
13. Representations made on several major planning applications and proposed developments relating to otter mitigation, including the SEMMS road scheme in North East Cheshire.
14. Bid prepared for a riparian mammal project officer.

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed!

OBJECTIVES

Establish the current distribution of otters in the Cheshire region and restore otters to all catchments where they have been recorded since 1960.

NATIONAL TARGETS

1. Maintain and expand existing otter populations.
2. By 2010, restore breeding otters to all catchments and coastal areas where they have been recorded since 1960.

LOCAL TARGETS

	TARGET	ACHIEVED?
1	Re-survey all sites previously surveyed for the national survey (2000-2002) by end of 2007.
2	By April 2006 hold a training event for highways engineers in Cheshire to help achieve effective mitigation for otters in new road schemes.
3	Produce a leaflet for riparian landowners advising them about habitat management and enhancement for otters by end of 2005. Postscript - the wording for the leaflet has been prepared but funds have not yet been found to produce the leaflet. It is hoped this can be remedied in 2006.
4	Construct 6 artificial log pile holts at suitable sites on the Rivers Weaver, Dane and Dee by end of 2006.
5	Identify at least six new sites that are undisturbed and show signs of recent otter activity for installation of video-monitoring equipment during 2006.
6	Apply for funding for a riparian mammal project officer by end of 2005. Postscript - the situation has now changed and this role will not be pursued at present.
7	Carry out extensive bridge surveys of the canal network where it crosses the River Weaver between Whitchurch and Nantwich by Dec 2005.
8	Develop survey programme for volunteer surveyors that focuses on suitable sites not covered by Environment Agency otter survey of 2005, particularly along Rivers Gowy, Weaver and Bollin.	NEW
9	Provide ongoing training and support as required for existing otter survey volunteers.	NEW
10	Recruit new otter survey volunteers	NEW
11	Hold at least one landowner event for raising awareness of the habitat requirements of otters and other riparian mammals.	NEW

CURRENT STATUS

The Fourth National Otter Survey for England was conducted between January 2000 and February 2002. The results of this survey were published in 2003 and show that otters are becoming more widespread in the rivers of England. The survey found positive signs of otters at 55 percent more sites than in the 1994 survey. In fact, in every one of the 12 regions and catchment areas surveyed, there was an increase in the number of sites where signs of otters were detected, representing a 527 percent increase since 1979 when the first survey was carried out.

However, the scale of this increase varies from area to area and otters still only occupy one third of the areas they could. The survey has shown that in favourable conditions, such as cleaner rivers and waterways, greater fish stocks, sympathetic wetland and riverside management and the creation of new bankside habitat, a healthy breeding population can recolonise large areas relatively quickly.

Joining up populations via the network of waterways is going to be crucial to the future increase of otter populations. The key areas are river catchments in Wessex, North Shropshire, South Cheshire and the Lower Severn as they provide links from strong populations in Wales, the South West and Cumbria to areas where recolonisation has been slow in the past.

Survey work currently being carried out along the canal network in Cheshire is revealing promising results. Further studies will be carried out as part of a 3 year survey programme

The otter is listed on Annexes II and V of the EC Habitats Directive (EC/92/43), Annexe II of the Bern Convention and Appendix I of CITES and is classified by the IUCN as 'vulnerable'. The otter is also listed under two schedules of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedules 5 & 6.
The otter is short-listed on the UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1 (1995) and as such the report contains a costed Biodiversity Action Plan for the otter. A national Otter BAP Steering Group has been set up which meets regularly and is led by a partnership between the Wildlife Trusts and the Environment Agency.

THREATS

• Lack of suitable lying up sites, hollows in large riverside tree roots, scrub patches, reedbeds.
• Loss of wetlands within the floodplain.
• Lack of large undisturbed areas suitable for breeding.
• Lack of sustainable fish stocks limiting food availability to otters.
• Accidental mortality, e.g. road casualties.
• Non-installation of otter guards on eel fyke nets.
• Direct effects of contaminants, e.g. PCBs and heavy metals.

CURRENT ACTION

• Existing Countryside Stewardship Schemes taking into account the needs of otters in target areas.
• rECOrd holding and receiving otter records.
• English Nature and Countryside Council for Wales are proposing candidate Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest status for the entire length of the River Dee with otters as a listed feature.
• Cheshire Wildlife Trust coordinates ongoing survey and monitoring work for otters.
• Cheshire Wildlife Trust comments on planning applications for development which may affect otters in the Cheshire region.
• Conservation agencies, including Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency, provide guidance to members of the public relating to otter conservation.
  
  

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

• LBAP Action Group will continue to meet on a regular basis to direct otter conservation work in Cheshire.
• Continue to carry out survey and monitoring work across the region to determine the distribution of the otter locally. Maintain this information on a database and make this available to the local records center.
• Encourage population expansion by natural recolonisation of former sites through habitat enhancement and improvement of water quality.
• Advise landowners about sympathetic management of riparian habitats for otters. Produce a new leaflet for landowners.
• Continue to make comments on planning applications and new road schemes which may have an impact on otters to ensure appropriate mitigation is adopted, for example, provision of otter underpasses and fences.
• Ensure that otter guards are fitted to eel fyke nets as part of the application procedure for new licences.
• Provide guidance to the general public about otter conservation. Continue to distribute the Know Your Otter cards and disseminate any information received. Collect and send records to record.
• Source funding opportunities and prepare bid for a riparian mammal project officer to coordinate survey work.
• Construct artificial otter holts across the region and install video-monitoring equipment at suitable sites. Encourage landowners to incorporate measures to benefit otters in new Environmental Stewardship Schemes at suitable sites.
  
  

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

• A North West Regional BAP Group has been formed to report back to the National Otter BAP Steering Group.
• A Local BAP Group has been formed.
• DETR have produced "The Good Roads Guide Nature Conservation Advice in relation to otters" for the design manual for roads and bridges.
• Otter issues included in the Dee, Lower Mersey, Mersey/Bollin, and Weaver/Dane LEAPs.
• Across the northwest EA are providing all eel netsman with otterguards on application for a licence.
• Cheshire Wildlife Trust have produced an otter habitat management plan for the River Gowy.
• CWT completed a review of the artificial otter holts and otter havens in the north west for the Environment Agency.
• EA Flood defence work program on the River Gowy altered to increase biodiversity in bankside cover.
• The revised Environment Agency's Otters and Rivers Technical Handbook has been produced.
• Leaflet produced to give guidance on the requirements of otters to landowners.
• Produced a list of catchments and coastal areas where otters have been recorded since 1960.
• Over 5,300 records have been entered on the regional database.
• Poster produced to raise awareness of road casualty issue across the north west.
• The North West Water and The Wildlife Trusts Otters and Rivers Project supported by the Environment Agency and WWF came to an end in July 2001.
• Vale Royal Borough Council have produced a recording/information card.
• Survey work was carried out by Cheshire Wildlife Trust to feed into the Fourth National Otter Survey for England.
• Cheshire region Otter LBAP Action Group reformed during 2004 and has met three times.
• 7,500 copies of an otter and mink identification and recording card produced in 2004 and distributed “Know Your Otter” card. Funding provided by Chester Zoo and Environment Agency.
• Database of otter records for the Cheshire region produced and maintained in 2004.
• Two artificial log pile otter holts constructed on the Rivers Gowy and Dee in Cheshire in 2004.
• Holt building event held in North Wales to celebrate Wales Biodiversity Week, June 2004.
• 40 volunteer otter surveyors trained as part of a riparian mammal survey training event held at Chester Zoo in April 2004.
• Otter spotter survey pack produced in 2004 and distributed to volunteer surveyors.
• Survey work carried out in 2004 along Rivers Weaver, Dee, Dane and Gowy, including canal network.
• Project funding received in 2004 from Chester Zoo. A microscope has been purchased to allow analysis of otter spraint as well as equipment to carry out video-monitoring of otter holts.
• Otter display boards produced in 2004. These were exhibited at several events including Only One Earth in July 2004.
• Otter talk presented at Countdown for Youth Conference at Helsby High School in October 2003.
  
  

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

CONTACT

Fiona Mahon, Cheshire Wildlife Trust Phone: 01270 610180 Fax: 01270 610430

REFERENCES

Butterill, G. (1995): The 1995 Cheshire Otter Survey, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, unpublished.
DETR (1999): Design manual for the construction of roads and bridges, volume 10 good roads guide nature conservation advice in relation to otters.
EA (1999): Otter Predation - is my fishery at risk?
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2:Action Plans, London.
JNCC (1996): A framework for otter conservation in the UK: 1995-2000.
Mitchell-Jones, A.J. (1996): Mammals in England - A conservation action priority list, English Nature.
Morris, P. (1993): A Red Data Book for British Mammals, Mammal Society.
Otter Biodiversity Action Plan: North West region - DRAFT.
Strachan, R. & Jeffries, D. (1996): Otter Survey of England 1991-1994 - A report on the decline and recovery of the otter in England and on its distribution, status and conservation in 1991-1994, Vincent Wildlife Trust.
Strachan, R. Birks, J. Chanin, P. & Jefferies, D. (1990): Otter Survey of England 1984-1986, Nature Conservancy Council.
The Wildlife Trusts (1997): Otter Wildlife Action Plan.
Crawford, A. Fourth Otter Survey of England 2000-2002.

RESOURCES

Know Your Otter

Date compiled - 1997
Date reviewed - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

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