AQW 15348/17-22
Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim
Tabled Date: 24/02/2021
Answered On Date: 05/03/2021
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, when licences to shoot cormorants under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 are issued, what advice is given in relation to such a cull taking place (i) in a public open space, (ii) in publicly accessible areas; and (iii) when members of the public might be in close proximity.
Answer:
DAERA, through the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, can issue a licence under Article 18(2g) of the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985, as amended, to kill wild birds to prevent serious damage to fisheries. This is currently only issued for the killing of cormorants, where it is demonstrated that they are causing serious damage to fisheries and all other practical environmental modifications and non-lethal methods have been exhausted. NIEA shall only grant this licence if it is satisfied that there is no other satisfactory solution. The licence sets bag count limits determined by the scale of the problem and the size of the waterbody. There are two variants of this licence: (i) STOCKED FISHERIES - No more than 2 licences per calendar year will be issued to any fishery. No licences will be issued for the months of May, June or July in any year. (ii) MIGRATORY FISHERIES - No more than one licence per fishery will be issued each year (it is accepted that there may be several fisheries within a catchment). Licences will be issued to cover a 6 month period; normally 1st January – 30th June to cover the smolting period for migratory fish. New applications will be subject to a site visit from the Wildlife Officer, who assesses the likely impact of the cormorant problem. On occasion where the problem areas are in close proximity to the public, advice from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Firearms and Explosives Branch may be sought were it is considered that there is a public safety concern. Concerns about firearms use and public safety lie outside the Department’s area of expertise and this advice is best sought from the PSNI.
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