Strategic Mink Control in Northern Scotland

Managed by:

Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland

Project Description

This is a geographically wide co-operation project between Cairngorms, Highland, Moray, Tayside and Aberdeenshire LEADER.  The two and a half year project will put Project Officers in post across the five LAG areas to implement a strategic programme to control mink in order to conserve fish stock and protect the natural heritage of Scotland’s river systems. 

Mink is an invasive, non-native species, creating an imbalance in the eco-system and causing increasing problems for gamekeepers, landowners and the wider natural heritage.  Mink numbers are having a major effect on ground nesting birds and fish stocks. 

The project will also create and sustain a network of informed volunteers who will participate in the control and eradication measures.

Quote from Participating Organisation

Chris Horrill, Project Development Manager, Rivers & Fisheries Trusts of Scotland

Invasive non native species (INNS) damage our environment, the economy and the way we live.  American mink is an aggressive invasive species that has been found to be a significant opportunistic predator of a wide range of

native and game species of biological, ecological and economic importance in

Scotland.  As such mink threatens a number of the resources upon which the

local economies in northern Scotland are based for example angling, shooting

and nature based tourism.  LEADER funding has enabled the partnership of a broad range of stakeholders to implement this project, the largest single INNS mainland control project in the UK and Europe, to help protect Scotland's native biodiversity.  The partnership consists of the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, University of Aberdeen, Scottish Wildlife Trust and a number of locally based organisations and individual volunteers.