Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats to the otter population in the UK; and what steps, if any, they are proposing to address any such threats.

The recently published sixth national otter survey of Wales (2015-18) showed a decline in the percentage of survey sites which had evidence of otters for the first time since the surveys began in the late 1970s. In England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Mammal Society are collaborating on a new national otter survey of England which is due to start later this year. By the end of next year we hope to have sufficient data to understand whether the England population has continued to recover and what threats, if any, may hinder recovery locally or nationally.

Under the Environment Act, this government has set a world leading target to halt the decline in species by 2030, and will also be setting targets to restore water quality. We expect actions to deliver these targets to support the continued recovery of native species like the otter.

My department will publish a Green Paper early this year which will look at how the regulatory framework can help drive the delivery of our 2030 target and reverse declines of species.

We are creating a Nature Recovery Network which will be a bigger, better quality and increasingly connected network of places that are richer in wildlife, support the recovery of species, and are more resilient to climate change and other pressures. At the core of the Network will be our existing best areas for nature, including protected sites and National Nature Reserves. As committed to in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we will also create or restore 500,000 hectares of additional wildlife-rich habitat beyond these existing areas. These actions will also help recover species like the otter.