Goose Policy Delivery Plan 2025 – 2030
The review of the National Policy Framework (NPF) for goose management included a commitment to develop a delivery plan. This document set out that plan and the recommendations with details of how each these will be met, who is responsible and the timescales for each recommendation.
Key projects and priorities for the period 2025-2030
To deliver goose policy over the next 5 years the following tasks are required. Over the course of a 4-year plan, the timing of actions is set out in terms of priorities and available staff resources and budgets. Short term is currently being worked on, medium term is years 2-3 and long term is 4 years and beyond.
Recommendation 1
Refresh goose policy objectives
Description
Goose policy objectives will be refreshed to ensure that they are clear and measurable and to take into account priority government policies around species specific conservation status, wider biodiversity, agriculture, crofting and Net Zero. Whilst this recommendation has been completed as part of the 2022 review, there will be regular discussion on the objectives on an annual basis at NGF to ensure that they consider any changes in wider policy development.
Timescales
Annually from 2025
Lead
NatureScot
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot, SGRPID, Scottish Government and NGF stakeholders
Recommendation 2
Development of national and international species plans
Description
Work will continue to develop and deliver national and international species management plans. Priority will be given to protected species (Greenland white-fronted goose, Greenland barnacle goose and Svalbard barnacle goose). Work to provide increased confidence in the population estimates for the re-classified Icelandic greylag goose will continue. The results of that work will define the extent of any range wide plan. In parallel a national plan for Scottish breeding greylag geese will be developed.
Timescales
Icelandic greylag flyway plan – short term but subject to additional research on population size.
Resident greylag plan – begin work in the short term but finalise plan in the medium term.
Delivery of Greenland barnacle flyway plan – ongoing.
Review of Greenland white-front flyway plan – ongoing.
Development of Svalbard flyway plan – medium to longer term.
Lead
NatureScot (international plans)
SGRPID (resident greylag plan)
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot and SGRPID
Recommendation 3
Public funding
Description
Clarify when, where and at what level public funding is required to deliver management interventions. Work will include simplifying goose schemes, pump priming to facilitate self-help and identifying a range of funding channels. This will be taken forward with input from a working group made up of NatureScot, SGRPID and stakeholder representatives.
Timescales
Short term to medium term
Lead
Scottish Government
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot and SGRPID
Recommendation 4
Develop future support for goose management
Description
A specific review of support for goose management should take place to ensure the Schemes are operating in an equitable and transparent manner and consider all available support routes.
This may include a review of how payments are calculated and what interventions rates are applied and development of a pilot scheme to test new and simplified approaches. This work will include shareholder input through the development of a working group and will be done alongside the actions for Recommendation 3.
Timescales
Short to medium term
Lead
RPID
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot, SGRPID and National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) representatives
Recommendation 5
Goose Management Delivery
Description
Management approaches to goose management will require medium term commitment, as opposed to year on year, to allow farmers and crofters to plan management of their businesses. Future support that depends on funding will be discussed in line with the changes that are being made to agricultural support. As current schemes have a commitment to run over winter 26/27 this recommendation will propose how best to secure commitment during the transition from current arrangements towards future rural support (unlikely to be ready before 2030).
Timescales
Short to medium term
Lead
SGRPID and NatureScot
Team Members/ Stakeholders and Governance
SGRPID and NatureScot
Recommendation 6
Management of greylag geese
Description
Mechanisms to enable and facilitate self-help through an adaptive harvest model to manage Scottish breeding greylag geese will continue to be explored until the National Management Plan referred to in Recommendation 2 is developed.
Timescales
Short to medium term
Lead
SGRPID
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot
Recommendation 7
Air safety
Description
Consider air safety issues in developing goose management policy and interventions. Note developments at an AEWA level, through the European Goose Management Platform (EGMP) Air Safety Task Force and liaise with airport managers where issues arise in Scotland.
Timescales
Ongoing
Lead
NGF
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
Airport Safety managers and NatureScot Licensing team
Recommendations 8 & 9
Stakeholder engagement
Description
Improve engagement with key stakeholders through effective use of national and local goose management groups and apply Shared Approach principles. Review and deliver recommendations on the efficacy of the NGF.
Continue engagement with other stakeholders who have an interest in goose management e.g. water quality, tourism, sporting and public and animal health.
Timescales
Ongoing
Lead
NGF
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot, SGRPID and the Scottish Government
Recommendation 10
Delivery Plan
Description
A delivery plan (this document) setting out how goose management recommendations and objectives will be met, including clear roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders and following Just Transition principles, should be developed in the short term and presented to NGF.
Timescales
Short term
Lead
NatureScot /SGRPID
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot, SGRPID and the Scottish Government
Recommendation 11
Integration with wider wildlife management approaches
Description
Goose management will be considered within the wider wildlife management landscape that ensure equitable support across land managers.
Work under the Shared Approach principles, will recognise the what, why and how of goose management and how this can be integrated across wider wildlife management support and legislations.
Timescales
Medium term
Lead
NatureScot
Team Members/Stakeholders and Governance
NatureScot and the Scottish Government
Contact
Email: Samuel.Turner@gov.scot