This guidance note describes reasonable measures that forest and woodland managers should follow to avoid or minimise the risk of committing offences against the otter, a European protected species.

It is an offence deliberately or recklessly to capture, injure or kill an otter; to disturb it while it is occupying its breeding/resting places; or to obstruct access to its breeding/resting places. It is an offence to damage or destroy breeding sites/resting places even accidentally.

Otters are found in virtually all small and large watercourses, ponds, lochs, and coasts in Scotland. Therefore, if a management operation is next to any of these habitats, otters should be an operational consideration.