Cormorants-Post Research Update

The research, commissioned by DETR, DEFRA (formerley MAFF) and the Environment Agency (EA), investigated the problems of fish-eating birds on inland fisheries in England and Wales.

The overall aim of the four year programme was to improve the current level of information on the behavior of fish-eating birds, their populations and the extent of the problem they cause to fisheries and to develop effective management strategies.

The key results from the research were:

Wintering population of cormorants grew by 5-10 per cent a year from 1987/8 to 1994/5 and has now stabilised at 15-16,000 birds.

Goosander numbers increased by up to 11 per cent a year elsewhere

The numbers of cormorants breeding inland has increased significantly from sporadic records in 1981 to the current population estimate at 1,437 pairs in 1998. Goosanders have increased by 10 percent yearly since 1987 to a total of 6,600 breeding pairs in 1997.  The impact of piscivorous (fish eating) birds is a problem for specific fisheries rather than a general problem. Sometimes, bird predation can be high enough to cause serious damage to a fishery. Factors others than predation by birds can affect fisheries and have a more significant impact than bird predation, - evidence on whether or not shooting to kill enhances the effectiveness of bird scaring was inconclusive; and apart from human presence, no other management measures were found to be consistently effective although fish refuges showed some promise.

In a joint statement Environment Minister, Chris Mullin the Countryside Minister, Elliot Morley and the Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development for the National Assembly for Wales, Christine Gwyther, said: 

"This important work has significantly increased our knowledge about fish-eating birds. The results confirm that serious damage to fisheries is a problem for specific fisheries rather than a general problem. Calls to remove the protection from species such as the cormorant do not seem to be supported by the research”.

The results of the research programme have contributed significantly to the understanding of the problems caused by piscivorous birds and have confirmed the difficulties involved in assessing fish populations and the impact of bird predation upon them.

Amid concerns that the population of fish-eating birds, primarily cormorants, were increasing and cause serious damage to fisheries, DETR, DEFRA and EA commissioned in 1995 a programme on the problem of fish-eating birds at inland fisheries in England and Wales.

Piscivorous birds (cormorants, goosanders, herons and mergansers) are protected by the 1979 EC Wild Birds Directive, implemented in the UK by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Act does allow limited numbers of birds to be controlled under licence issued-by Agriculture Departments, where they are causing serious damage to a fishery and where there is no other satisfactory solution.

Unfortunately to-date the important organisations in these negotiations English Nature, RSPB and the Moran Committee have been unable to recommend a management plan to DEFRA, although all agree that this is the way forward.

Both conservation and fishery interests have agreed a joint statement that acknowledges that piscivorous birds and fisheries have a right to protection and that piscivorous birds can have an impact on some specific fisheries.

Meanwhile fishery managers must continue to manage their fisheries. In response to this need the AGA Group has been refining its habitat and refuge technology to give fish stocks much needed protection in fisheries where these birds predate.

Our work has shown that fish refuges work, effectively reducing predation and losses.

	For help and advice just give us a call to arrange a consultation on:-   +44 (0)1403 820999 or