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Thread: Colonsay reserve approved!

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Hi Drumgerry

    This is the press take on the legislation taken from the BBC News
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-west-24428707

    A new law will come into effect in January, making it illegal to import any bee other than the Apis mellifera mellifera to the area.
    Pity the BBC headed their article with a picture of what are clearly hybrids! Also got this wording a bit wrong: ' but just one honeybee species, the native Black Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).'
    Peter Edwards

  2. #12
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    That's a bit Stromnessian of you Peter! Still, we didn't ban Doris (for that anyway) so we'll let you off with it too.

    Very pushed for time so I'll tidy it late tonight unless someone else gets there first.

    Thanks Ems.
    Last edited by gavin; 09-10-2013 at 11:26 PM.

  3. #13

    Default Colonsay reserve approved!

    Just looked again at the SBA mag piece about Colonsay. The quote from the Order was not very comprehensive it turned out. No mention of a definition of AMM. Surely they must have put one in the legislation!? If not it's a huge oversight. Does anyone have access to the full text of the Order in order to confirm or deny the definition question?

  4. #14

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    Hi Drumgerry
    One of my colonies (definitely not what I would call AMM ) scanned out a 77% AMM could I take that one to Colonsay, varroa and all, or would I be in jail shortly afterwards. ?
    I don't get the SBA mag at the moment -- waiting to join again in January

  5. #15
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Interestingly the Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Act (again, like Scottish politics, Gavin will correct the terminology) makes it illegal to import 'foreign' species ... so taking varroa to Colonsay would be a crime (and a disaster).

    I think this is a great development and those of you reading this that had some small part to play in supporting the proposal - directly or indirectly - should be congratulated.

    Well done.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by fatshark View Post
    Interestingly the Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Act (again, like Scottish politics, Gavin will correct the terminology) makes it illegal to import 'foreign' species ... so taking varroa to Colonsay would be a crime (and a disaster).

    I think this is a great development and those of you reading this that had some small part to play in supporting the proposal - directly or indirectly - should be congratulated.

    Well done.
    Not to sure about that Fatshark as varroa is already in Scotland you might not be importing it
    Unless Colonsay is an independent country you would be spreading it possibly
    When it comes to spreading invasive species I think the list includes Japanese knotweed perhaps grey squirrels Zander Catfish etc I don't know if varroa is on the list or not.

    It might all be covered in the legislation that has been passed
    The newspapers often just skim the surface but if AMM are undefined and the restriction only says non AMM can't be taken to Colonsay then that only amounts to a partial protection.
    Also If that legislation appears to restrict other residents of the EU from bee keeping on Colonsay then that might run into trouble later as well
    Of course that's all nonsense and it won't ever happen but sometimes the waterproof defence is just an illusion
    Anyway hooray for the devil and his advocate

  7. #17
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Hi DR
    The wording on the proposed amendment to the 1981 Act states:
    The release of any animal outwith its native range in Scotland is an offence. The release of any honey bee on Colonsay and Oronsay is therefore an offence.
    Note that keeping bees is not considered release ...
    If you take this to the (il)logical conclusion - the native range of Varroa does not include Colonsay (or thankfully some of the other remote areas). However, there is a possibility that Varroa would be considered an invasive species ... these are again covered under the Act and there are restrictions to their importation.
    I agree that the 'devil is in the detail' and hope it is not challenged. What is perhaps more interesting is whether the range could be extended to include other islands (or perhaps other geographically isolated areas) so strengthening the Amm position.

    It's good to be positive about a bee-related story in the national press ... other than positive it's rubbish that is

  8. #18

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    Fatshark you are right let's be positive hope there is possibilities for a full scale AMM breeding station on the Island in due course

  9. #19

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    Yeah hopefully there's some funding available to Andrew to expand his operation. Can't have him hoarding his precious AMM bees eh?! (reference to Phil's comments re AMM for those non members of the SBA!).

  10. #20
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    It's a small island and he has 50+ colonies so probably would not support many more.

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