Statutory guidance

Otters: licence to capture and transport those trapped in fisheries to prevent damage (CL36)

Get a licence to capture and transport live Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) that are trapped in fisheries to prevent damage.

From:
Natural England
Published
26 September 2016
Last updated
1 January 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Otters: licence to capture and transport those trapped in fisheries to prevent damage (licence CL36)

HTML

Otters: registration form (licence CL36)

MS Word Document, 212 KB

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Annex C: form to notify the intention to trap (capture) and remove an otter from a fenced fishery

PDF, 46.3 KB, 1 page

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Otters: report form (licence CL36)

MS Word Document, 146 KB

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Details

This licence allows you to catch, move and release otters trapped inside fishery fencing as soon as possible to stop them causing serious damage to fisheries. This licence only applies to fisheries that have appropriate fencing around them designed to keep otters out (see annex C of licence CL36 attached).

You must:

  • identify where an otter has got into the fishery such as through broken fencing and fix it before you trap the otter and move it
  • use live capture traps which Natural England confirms as acceptable for trapping otter in England
  • position the trap away from areas that could flood
  • de-activate a trap if heavy rainfall is predicted
  • attend any trap set to capture live otters within 3 hours
  • transport and release the trapped otter outside the fishery fence as soon as possible
  • get the landowner’s permission before you take action under this licence

See the licence attached for all terms and conditions.

If you need to carry out activities not covered by this licence, you can apply for an individual licence.

Register to use this licence

This is a class licence. You must complete the registration form attached and send it to Natural England if you wish to use this licence.

Natural England will only register you if you can show you have the knowledge and skill to act under this licence. For example, show that you’ve passed an approved Natural England course to trap otters.

Write to or email:

Wildlife licensing

Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH

Email [email protected]

Telephone 020 8026 1089

How to report your actions

You must tell Natural England 5 days before you intend to trap and transport an otter. This allows time for a Natural England wildlife adviser to visit and check the site if they wish to.

You must send a report of your action 14 days after each licensed activity.

If you have not used the licence, you must send an annual report stating you’ve ‘taken no action’ under this licence by 31 January each year. Doing this also renews your licence. If you do not submit an annual report, you’ll need to register again.

Updates to this page

Published 26 September 2016
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates

  1. There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.

  2. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.

  3. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.

  4. Annual licence update.

  5. Accessible version of licence added - HTML.

  6. Report form replaced with updated version.

  7. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  8. Added that an appropriate live capture trap is a trap which Natural England confirms is acceptable for trapping otter in England

  9. Updated version of licence.

  10. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019. Registration and report forms replaced with updated versions.

  11. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018

  12. Annual licence update 2017.

  13. First published.

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