Culling Cormorants

[Paul Arden]

Nightmare.

[savage]

My view on the matter is, cull the fuckers.
And the only efective way to control them is prolly poisoning the eggs at the nesting grounds. Shooting as a global method of reduction seems questionable. I believe they do a helluva lot of shooting in France, and Bird populations don't seem to be affected much.

In CZ, there have been Exemptions made that in certain parts of the country you can shoot a limited quota of birds. Some places you can only scare them away. Status is still "Protected species".
Ironically movements to remove the fucker from the "Protected" list have been thwarted by Dam owners and fish producers, coz they get nice insurance cover, and don't want to loose that. How's that for fucked up?

Anyway, the bird is a wild creature. In natural cycles, I believe it would overpopulate, wipe out fish populations, and then starve to death in great numbers. Thus fish populations pick up, the birds following behind and the cycle goes on. Matter of years and years, perhaps decades. What the fuck do I know.

But who the fuck are we kidding, we are in 2012 in a very regulated Europe. So either I regulate it properly, or fuckit. Because doing anythin half half is just fucking things up.

This is a BIG problem. One that can be metered out in MONEY to a certain extent. I say the EU should appoint a small highly dedicated team of Cormorant Experts that will monitor European stocks. I mean for fucks sakes, it's been wasting money on stupid shit in all it's existance, and heres something worthwile.

I am lying in hospital with quite a bit of time on my hands staring at the ceiling, so have patients with me.

Cheers
Karel

[Paul Arden]

Shagged any nice nurses?

[Janesch]

Ironically movements to remove the fucker from the "Protected" list have been thwarted by Dam owners and fish producers, coz they get nice insurance cover, and don't want to loose that. How's that for fucked up?

FFS
Almost the same thing here, something might approve regarding green light for shooting "few" of them.
Either way, every year same thing happen. I just wonder how many and how big would trout grow up there if they were gone
This massacre happens luckily after spawn meaning we`re at the beginning again.

[keystone]

Hi,
Fishing on Kennick reservoir in Devon around 40 years ago I remember the Cormorants coming daily and taking trout. Sandeels were plentiful then but the Cormorants were moving inland. They should have been stopped/shot then but we have watched their numbers swell and our fish stocks dwindle. The RSPB say they protect all birds except when it suits them. They supported (forced) the Ruddy Duck cull in the UK and regularly remove eggs from birds which threaten a particular tern colony.
Interestingly, that close cousin of the Cormorant, the Shag has stayed at sea.
Rutland Water nature reserve boasted that it had seventy breeding pairs of Cormorants and that was a couple of years ago. As these birds roost on known sites it would be easy for marksmen to blast them but there would be howls of protest from the armchair conservationists. Meanwhile the fish stocks are attacked, many are taken, others are speared, some left with their guts hanging out. It seems only anglers are aware of this carnage the rest are in denial.
If Cormorants attacked cats and dogs we would soon see the machine guns come out.
Dave.

[t.z.]

The society is the problem. Birds are cool. Fish are just a food source. Bird protection groups (camoed as "nature preservers) do benefit from the fight. 80% of the people understand nature as something on Discovery chanel. They donate money as well. So the stupid bit is that these fundraising organisations are actually interested in the conflict with the anglers and other people seeing the problem. Coorporation is not helping them to collect more money.

On top, the general argument is that the population will regulate itselv as soon he food source goes down. Very short sighted and dumb, but and understandable argument for the most. Heck, it even seems scientific. So the general answer from officials to anglers is that the anglers should stop angling and not fight with them comromorants over food.

The only way to stop these rats of the air is to poison their eggs in a concentrated campaign. This will never happen. No lobby involved. Look at the efforts needed to make people understand that one needs to regulate this population - which is an easy task as not very many people like rats.

[keystone]

The society is the problem. Birds are cool. Fish are just a food source. Bird protection groups (camoed as "nature preservers) do benefit from the fight. 80% of the people understand nature as something on Discovery chanel. They donate money as well. So the stupid bit is that these fundraising organisations are actually interested in the conflict with the anglers and other people seeing the problem. Coorporation is not helping them to collect more money.

On top, the general argument is that the population will regulate itselv as soon he food source goes down. Very short sighted and dumb, but and understandable argument for the most. Heck, it even seems scientific. So the general answer from officials to anglers is that the anglers should stop angling and not fight with them comromorants over food.

The only way to stop these rats of the air is to poison their eggs in a concentrated campaign. This will never happen. No lobby involved. Look at the efforts needed to make people understand that one needs to regulate this population - which is an easy task as not very many people like rats.

Hi,
At the big reservoirs in th UK thousands of trout are stocked annualy ensuring a plentiful supply of fish for the Cormorant population. So seems most unlikely that they will starve to death.
One fishing club where I am a member, where a total wipe-out of trout and grayling by Cormorants has occured, is thinking of sending DEFRA the bill for restocking. It seems pollution is no longer the enemy on rivers it is the Cormorant.
Dave.

[Janesch]

Hi,
At the big reservoirs in th UK thousands of trout are stocked annualy ensuring a plentiful supply of fish for the Cormorant population. So seems most unlikely that they will starve to death.

Same thing here. Club stock the fish in spring usually before competition, they grow by the end of season. Winter come, season is closed everything freezes except kanal. Cormorants eat them all.
In all friendly bird organizations, we are heroes cause we feed them during the winter and help them to survive. They can`t understand how we can feed them and want to kill them at the same time. :sick:

Cheers, Janko

[Charlie]

said structure and even suspended wires should be employed to protect the fish

That would make for interesting wading and casting !

[t.z.]

One fishing club where I am a member, where a total wipe-out of trout and grayling by Cormorants has occured, is thinking of sending DEFRA the bill for restocking. It seems pollution is no longer the enemy on rivers it is the Cormorant.
Dave.

Which just supports this weird idea that fish populations just can be restocked. As said - the very different view on birds versus is that fish are regarded as something like crops. Just replant them .... Very odd in my eyes.

[keystone]

One fishing club where I am a member, where a total wipe-out of trout and grayling by Cormorants has occured, is thinking of sending DEFRA the bill for restocking. It seems pollution is no longer the enemy on rivers it is the Cormorant.
Dave.

Which just supports this weird idea that fish populations just can be restocked. As said - the very different view on birds versus is that fish are regarded as something like crops. Just replant them .... Very odd in my eyes.

Hi,
It is in the case of this river, with the help of the Wild Trout Trust, various grants, raffles etc. the club had restored the river (dredged in the 60s) to something approaching its former glory. It supported a strong wild population of trout and grayling and restocking was minimal. Really, all a waste of time and effort and money.
Dave.