WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1379/99 by Xaver MAYER Protection of beavers - flood damage
29. 1. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 27 E/33 (2000/C 27 E/036) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1379/99 by Xaver Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Protection of beavers ü flood damage In connection with the flooding of the banks of the Rivers Isar and Danube in Germany in the spring of this year it has been discovered that beavers have undermined flood protection dams. This has endangered the stability of the dams. The question is whether possible threats to the safety of the dams should be eliminated by management of the beaver population. Can the Commission say what protection beavers enjoy under the directive on the protection of 1. species? Can the Commission say what action could be taken under the present rules on protection to prevent 2. beavers from undermining flood protection dams and to make dams already undermined secure again? Does the Commission see a need to call for a study that enables the possible dangers to be assessed 3. and measures to avert them to be developed? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (10 September 1999) The Commission is aware that successfully reintroduced beaver (1) populations (presumably Castor fiber) exist on the rivers Isar and Danube (Donau) in Germany. Even if in this case destruction of flood protection dams by beavers can not be excluded, damage by similar rodents such as the coypu (2) (Myocastor coypus) or the muskrat (3) (Ondatra zibethica) might be taken into consideration too. These two last mentioned species do not fall under European nature protection legislation. 1. As far as species protection is concerned the European beaver (Castor fiber) is protected pursuant to Article 12 of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC (4)), which means that Member States have to establish a system of strict protection prohibiting all forms of deliberate capture or killing of specimens of this species in the wild, as well as deliberate disturbance or deterioration or destruction of breeding sites. However, under the conditions given in Article 16 Member States may derogate from the provisions 2. in Article 12 in the interest of public safety. The question of which measures are most appropriate to guarantee on the one hand efficient flood protection and on the other hand sufficient species protection, has to be addressed by the authorities of the Member State. These authorities have to decide under their own responsibility whether in a particular case a specific 3. examination for an assessment of dangers and measures is necessary. Fr. :Castor / D: Biber. Fr. :Ragondin/ D: Nutria. Fr. :Rat musquØ / D: Bisamratte. (1) (2) (3) (4) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992