I propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 325 and 326 together.
My Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the implementation of a suite of National and EU legislation in relation to invasive alien species in Ireland. Under this legislative framework, landowners are responsible for dealing with invasive alien species on their land. This includes mink, an invasive alien species listed on the Third Schedule to the Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations of 2011.
The enclosed 2009 assessment of mink in Ireland, published as Irish Wildlife Manual #40, recognised that the distribution of mink at that time was biased towards the east of the country, but acknowledged that the species would continue to colonise new territory and spread westward eventually colonising the entire island.
Populations of carnivores, such as mink, do not, however, increase endlessly. They become limited by the available food sources, habitat availability, and competition (both between mink and with other species such as otter which occupy similar habitats).
With these factors in mind the authors of the report used habitat modelling to estimate the total carrying capacity of the Irish landscape – i.e. to calculate the maximum number of mink the country would hold. Their calculation suggested that the total population of mink could reach 33,000 individuals nationally.
The minimum national population estimate in 2009 was 20,000 individuals. It is possible that the mink population is now approaching the maximum value calculated of 33,000. The species would be expected to plateau at this figure.
Funding was provided by NPWS, in 2012, to the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) and the Council used this to fund a scheme for a bounty on mink. That scheme is no longer in operation. As with any scheme that might be supported by grant aid, its renewal would need to be discussed with the relevant parties and decisions taken in the context of the overall NPWS budget, priorities and work programmes.
Localised control operations can help reduce mink numbers at a local level for a short period of time (months) and this can be useful for example when protecting important ground-nesting bird sites during the breeding season. NPWS do this annually. Nonetheless, this type of control has little impact on the overall numbers of mink – young mink will quickly fill vacant territories and start breeding.
There are a range of ongoing efforts by NPWS to control mink in the country. These are primarily being managed by NPWS regional staff and under a number of LIFE projects, for example for Curlew and for Corncrake. These efforts are focussed on the protection of rare ground nesting birds and Nest Protection Officers are in place across the country to control and remove mink where they catch them.
Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 40
