Cormorant Predation (Hansard, 16 September 2004)

§ Mr. Bradshaw

After careful consideration of cormorant population dynamics and modelling I am announcing a new strategy to help fishery owners and angling interests deal with the problems caused by cormorants.

A revised licensing system will make it simpler to apply for licences to cull cormorants where serious damage to fisheries can be shown. The new system will presume that where significant numbers of cormorants are present at a site, and it is clear that these are feeding on fish stocks, serious damage is occurring, or there is a risk of serious damage. However this will continue to be confirmed on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that Defra is satisfied that there is no other solution in accordance with the law, and to ensure that there are significant numbers of cormorants feeding which are causing, or are likely to cause, serious damage, Defra will continue its research into non-lethal methods of managing cormorant populations. Further work will be undertaken, in the near future, to test the applicability of fish refuges, optimise their design and to determine their most cost-effective spatial arrangement for them in still waters, as well as looking at ways to resolve problems in rivers.

The licensing system will be made simpler in the following ways Licences will be: Issued for a period of up to two years; Revoked or amended by Defra as necessary; Issued between 31 August and 15 April; Issued in advance to prevent problems occurring; Issued without an assessor's visit unless it is a new licence application or where circumstances have significantly changed. Every site will be visited at least once every two years, with site visits being undertaken more often if this is considered necessary; Licences can be amended by telephone, fax or by email

We will also ensure that the Environment Agency and other Defra agencies are aware of the changes and encouraged to follow permitted procedures where appropriate.

In addition to the measures above, where it is necessary to protect salmon and sea trout smolts, we will be prepared to issue licences to kill birds during the smolt run up to 1 May This extension will also apply to 1664WS protect designated spawning sites, such as gravel shallows on rivers, for appropriate species of fish and fisheries. In addition those sites planning fresh stockings of fish in still waters will be able to obtain licences where such fish would be particularly vulnerable to attack.

The new licensing system is expected to lead to an increase in the number of cormorants culled. Mathematical modelling by the Central Science Laboratory suggests that the overall cormorant population would be reduced but would stabilise at a number significantly higher than its historic level. We will ensure that the cormorant population will be monitored through a refined Wetland Bird Survey count and, if necessary, the number of licences reduced in future years to ensure the stabilisation of the population.

The consequences of the new policy will be assessed on an annual basis and the number of cormorants allowed to be killed under licence adjusted as necessary to ensure stabilisation of the population. Defra will cease to issue licences for a period, and may consider revocation or suspension of licences currently issued, should the cormorant population not respond in the manner predicted. This will provide an added safety mechanism and will protect the conservation status of the bird, (as required under the Birds Directive), while providing enough flexibility to resolve fishery problems.