HL Deb 18 February 1985 vol 460 cc467-8WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state in respect of licences to kill cormorant to prevent serious damage to fisheries in 1984 in England and Wales:

  1. (a) how many applications for licences were received;
  2. (b) how many licences issued;
  3. (c) to whom were the licences issued;
  4. (d) how many cormorants did these licences allow to be killed:
  5. (e) how many cormorants were killed under licence during 1984;
  6. 468
  7. (f) whether the Nature Conservancy Council's (NCC) advice was sought separately in respect of each application for a licence; and
  8. (g) whether the NCC advised against the issuing of any licences that were in fact issued.

Lord Skelmersdale

In England and Wales, 13 applications were made in 1984 for licences to kill or take cormorants to prevent damage to fisheries.

On one application, previous experience at the site had shown that other measures to deter cormorants had proved effective. Consideration of the application has been deferred until these other measures have been tried.

The advice of the Nature Conservancy Council was sought in the remaining 12 cases. Six applications were refused, one applications is still being considered and five licences were issued, one of which was against the advice of the Nature Conservancy Council.

The five licences granted permitted the killing of up to 36 birds. So far, four birds have been killed, although one licence remains extant. No birds were killed under the licence issued against NCC advice.

Licence applications are treated in confidence, so it would not be appropriate to list the names of the licensees.

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