Murdo Fraser MSP has pressed the Scottish Government to listen to farmers before making a decision on permanently reintroducing beavers to Tayside.
Locally, the Beavers have split opinion with some environmentalists welcoming their arrival whilst farmers bemoan the destruction of riverbanks and other productive portions of land as a result of their reintroduction.
Perthshire farmers have raised concerns that beavers will be reintroduced as a protected animal without the capacity to be managed as per other wild animals.
The National Farmers Union in Scotland has already signalled their objection to the permanent reintroduction of beavers. The farmers union is sceptical over whether beavers can be excluded from productive farmland areas and is concerned over the costs associated with repairing damaged flood defences.
Commenting Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said:
“For every supporter of the Tayside beavers I meet a farmer or agricultural worker unhappy at the impact of their reintroduction.
“Collapsed river banks, destroyed saplings and ruined land are just some of the issues associated with reintroducing the beaver and I would call on the Scottish Government to properly consult with the farming community before rubber stamping a permanent reintroduction.
“Perthshire farmers are particularly concerned at how beavers will be sustainably managed if they are classed as a protected species rather than a wild animal as they currently are”.