Defra publishes response to invasive species Pathway Action Plans consultation
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), jointly with the Scottish Government and Welsh Government, has published its response to the consultation on draft Pathway Action Plans (PAPs) for invasive non-native species in Great Britain. The consultation, which ran from 23 June 2025 to 18 August 2025, received 66 responses from individuals, non-governmental organisations, public bodies, sector trade bodies and membership organisations. The PAPs target five priority introduction pathways: recreational boating, angling, horticulture, zoos and aquaria, and pets. The anonymised and summarised consultation responses will be shared with PAP working groups for expert consideration, with any required modifications to be made based on the feedback. Following working group review, the PAPs will require sign-off from the Great Britain Invasive Non-native Species Programme Board before final publication, which is expected by the end of 2026.