Sea eagle compensation increase not enough, says Mid Argyll farmer

Dealing constantly with his lambs being killed has taken such a severe mental and financial toll on Richard and his family that he is considering quitting the sheep farming business altogether.

“NatureScot has been here and confirmed what we are dealing with and now they want us to be a monitor farm this year,” Richard explained. 

“But we’re now losing more money than we’re making, and we can’t maintain our flock, far less improve it. We’re getting annihilated – the mental drain of going out every day and seeing the devastation is too much; I’m thinking of putting the sheep off the hill entirely.”

And the farmer believes that sea-eagle predation is having a wider effect further afield.

“I know we’re not the only farm dealing with huge losses, but I know others are afraid to speak out for fear of backlash,” Richard said. 

“If this is allowed to go on there will be nothing but sitka spruce across the whole of the West Coast. 

“It’ll push up the price of food and all the biodiversity will go – if the land wasn’t getting grazed the ground-nesting birds wouldn’t be there. The only thing that will help is fewer sea eagles, oiling the eggs until they are down to a manageable number.”

The complexity of the issue was acknowledged by Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie, who said: “We recognise that we need to ensure a balanced approach where species such as white-tailed eagles come into conflict with agricultural activity especially sheep farming. 

“The emotional and financial impacts for those worst affected cannot be underestimated.

“With lambing season upon us again I hope this increase in support will help mitigate the impact and manage the tension between wildlife conservation efforts and our vital farming communities.”

The funding is set to be focussed on farms like Richard’s where the impact has been the most severe and includes money for measures such as indoor lambing to reduce predation.

And the National Farming Union welcomed this targeting of the financial support.

“The increase in funding from Scottish Government and NatureScot for the scheme recognises the impact of predation of domestic livestock by sea eagles are having on farm and croft businesses,” NFU Scotland President Andrew Connon said. “With the increase and the spread in the birds’ population, these funds will hopefully allow NatureScot to target mitigation to areas most seriously affected.”