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Cormorants

Answer

Cormorants, like all wild birds, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Section 16 of the Act allows for licences to be issued in certain circumstances and for certain purposes, including the protection of livestock. If cormorants are causing or are likely to cause serious damage to inland fisheries, licences permitting fisheries managers to shoot a limited number of them to protect a fishery may be granted. Licences will only be issued where it can be shown non-lethal measures designed to address problem birds have failed to be effective. Most licences issued are for the purposes of enabling fishery owners to reinforce the effects of shooting to scare.

DEFRA is carrying out a review of the current policy in relation to managing the impact of predation on inland fisheries from cormorants, goosanders and red-breasted mergansers. In the course of this review, officials are considering a range of options for managing the serious damage these birds can cause and will consider the impacts of using general licences along with the other options. The review is expected to report to Ministers this year. Once completed, the outcomes of the review will be made publicly available.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

119885; 551 c47W

Session

2012-13

Subjects

Animal welfare Licensing Pest control Cormorants

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk