Monday 6th October, 2025
Last week, Wales’s Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, announced that legal protection would be applied to European beavers, in line with England and Scotland.
Afonydd Cymru has, in principle, been supportive of beaver reintroductions in Wales on condition that they came with measures that ensured benefits are maximised, that issues resulting from their re-introduction are minimised and that necessary actions can be taken quickly should problems arise.
We are therefore encouraged that the Deputy Frist Minister also announced the establishment of a Wales Beaver Forum to “…help manage some of the concerns raised, including around potential species impacts, land use and water systems.”
Our concerns (and those of other organisations) are predominantly about the impacts beavers might have on migrating fish, such as Atlantic salmon, sewin (sea trout) and resident brown trout and, in particular, the downstream migration of smolts (young salmon and sewin) to the sea. Concerns about the impacts on farmland, property and flood risk have been raised by other organisations.
The priority for Wales should be safeguarding its internationally protected salmon and sewin populations, whose numbers have declined dramatically.
These already designated but threatened species must be protected first and foremost. We need to be certain that no other negative changes occur, whether this is from the re-introduction of any other species or by conflicting requirements of protected species.
Afonydd Cymru is looking forward to the Wales Beaver Forum ensuring that measures to protect these iconic fish species are in place before any reintroduction programmes proceed.
More Information:
Afonydd Cymru position statement on beaver reintroductions in Wales
“Wales gives beavers dam good protection” Welsh Government statement, 2nd October 2025