HL Deb 14 February 1985 vol 460 c382WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What advice on deterring cormorants is given by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to people applying for a licence to kill cormorants to prevent serious damage to fisheries, and whether such advice is always given to applicants for such a licence.

Lord Belstead

In accordance with guidelines agreed with the Nature Conservancy Council, licences to kill cormorants under Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are issued in England only where it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that serious damage is taking place and that deterrent measures are not working or are impracticable. Advice on deterrent measures is freely available from MAFF to anyone suffering damage by cormorants.