DEFRA Review of Non-native Species Policy

The following recent DEFRA review may be of interest to those of you who deal with non-native invasives and/or may be called upon to provide herp advice for any future legislation.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/resprog/findings/non-native/index.htm


Here's a flavour of the document, taken from the executive summary:

It is thereforeconsidered that the UK should:

ò Establish a Non-native Species Council to oversee policy co-ordination and dissemination of advice and guidance. This Council should be invested with the power to direct actions of organisations involved with non-natives, to
assign clear responsibilities to appropriate bodies, to consider the crosscutting aspects of non-native species issues, and to provide technical and
scientific advice to Government.

ò Draw up a Non-Native Species Strategy for Great Britain. This strategy should include the collation of existing legislation and guidance; identification of sectors and pathways associated with introductions / use of non-natives; a review of the status and threats of established non-native species; lists of species which have been identified as potentially invasive but
not yet established, and for which early warning of introduction is a priority; and procedures for early detection of, monitoring and collation of information on non-native species.

ò Ban the keeping and sale of known invasive species.


Ewan.