Being of a certain age, I have found it terribly sad to see the destruction of nature in this country in my lifetime.
I've written often about growing up with nature all around me, and the delight and wonder I found in being a part of it all. Many of the species I remember from my childhood are, alas, all but gone now, in the wake of human desecration of natural habitats. There is a disconnection between people and nature that simply did not exist to the same extent fifty years ago. I have written before about my early schooling and the way in which nature formed a core component of my primary school education, encouraged by a wonderful teacher whose lessons enriched and informed my whole life. I know it was a similar story for many of my generation. Now as I see first hand, almost daily, the wanton destruction of nature, I feel anguish and pain. It is truly heartbreaking. These days, most people are aware of the importance of looking after nature and encouraging biodiversity, but few actually care enough to act. That is a truth we must acknowledge. No amount of messaging will influence those who are unmoved by the plight of the natural world. So I have concluded that, if we are to really make a difference, we must look to the youngest generation and break the cycle of ignorance by instilling in them the same love and respect for the natural world that we were privileged to have all those years ago and which has clearly been lost along the way. I have today written to the education ministers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, asking them to share my vision of establishing nature as a core subject to be taught in primary schools, including a plan to bring back the widespread use of nature tables to classrooms, along with teachers who will enthusiastically share their knowledge. This is what I wrote to them:- As a writer and campaigner on environmental matters, I am writing to you with an idea that I hope will inspire your interest and engagement. I'm sure you will agree that the state of our natural environment is at a critical point and that action to address the decline of nature is imperative if we are to repair the damage that has been done in recent years. It is with great sadness that I have witnessed in my lifetime a terrible decline in biodiversity in this country and a tragic disconnection between people and nature. While current efforts to encourage biodiversity are valuable, I believe that the single most important contribution to conserving nature would be to instill in the very youngest minds a love and respect for nature and the countryside. After all, it will be the next generation and those that follow who will have the task of securing the future survival of our natural world. And so it is so vital that today's children are taught to respect and appreciate nature from a very early age. Growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, I was taught in school (from the age of three) about the importance of the natural world around me. Knowledge was shared with enthusiasm by educators who had genuine empathy and passion for nature. And because of this we grew up with a real respect for the natural world. These early lessons inspired wonder and delight in our young minds that turned into a lifelong fascination and appreciation of the flora and fauna with which we share this world. And this joy in discovering nature, if once again taught in schools, could be the single most valuable contribution to the future survival of our countryside and all the diverse species that still manage to survive in an increasingly hostile environment. The Vision So, I would like to see the subject of nature at the core of teaching in every primary school across the UK. It is a vision that I feel could be realised quite easily and it would be a powerful contribution to a better future, with wide ranging long term benefits. Nature Tables Initially I would like to see the reintroduction of nature tables in every primary school classroom. This idea has been mooted in recent years but I believe now is the time to act on it and bring back the nature table across the whole country. Some schools, Montessori establishments for example, have always recognised that nature is central to children's education. I believe it is imperative for mainstream education to follow this lead. I am contacting you along with other important decision makers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to make this happen. I have already had early discussions with the MS for North Wales, Carolyn Thomas, who has agreed that nature study should be at the core of early learning education across Wales. This needs to come to fruition and also be introduced across the rest of the UK. I sincerely hope I can count on your active support in influencing policy for this initiative, and I look forward to hearing from you. I'll keep you posted about the responses I receive.....
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* Update expected soon on Cormorant licence reform plan
* New head of licensing at Natural England ready to engage with our campaign Hi folks, Hope you have all enjoyed a good summer! As I write, the swallows are gathering ahead of their epic journey to Africa. migratory geese are arriving from distant lands, there's a chill in the air and we find ourselves suddenly in Autumn... "Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize." George Eliot I know I've been silent for a little while but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy! From trying to stop councils and landowners decimating hedgerows, to calling for nature education to be at the core of primary school teaching, I've been pushing for increased awareness of our environment on various fronts. But, as many of you will know from your own experience, it often seems like a hopeless task - the vast majority of those who might have influence simply do not understand the importance of nature, or perhaps they do not want to understand because they are too heavily invested (often literally) in destroying it. Incredibly frustrating! Anyway, on to birds and licensing. And it's looking good. New faces at Natural England My helpful contact at Natural England (the then Head of Wildlife Licensing) left the post at the end of July and two people were subsequently appointed in his place. I've made contact with these two people who are now responsible for wildlife licensing across England - and so far so good. I've been told to expect an update on the plan I put forward to stop the reckless Cormorant culls, potentially saving thousands of these majestic birds from being shot. As you may recall, Natural England told me in July that they were considering our suggestions to reform the Cormorant control licences and hinted that they might be introducing some of the ideas we discussed. I'll bring you the latest on that as soon as I have it. There may also be a meeting set up to explore reforms to the licensing system more generally. Teaching nature as a core subject in schools That's the extent of the update as far as licences go, but in other matters, I had some interesting correspondence with the member of the Welsh Senedd for North Wales, in which we discussed a range of matters relating to the state of the natural environment in the region. I shared with her my belief that education from an early age was key to a life-long appreciation of nature and probably the only long term hope we have to secure what precious little of the natural environment we have left. She agreed and has vowed to press the Welsh government to introduce nature lessons as a core subject in primary schools across the country. If this did happen it would be a huge step forward. I believe it is essential to instill a love of nature in the next generation. I remember being taught from a very early age, (as many of us were), to delight in the discovery of the natural world. It's still a constant and wonder-filled journey for me even fifty years on! And that's why I see it as vitally important to educate our young people as they are the ones who will ultimately be responsible for preserving the remnant of the natural world that survives. This step would be for Wales only, but of course it would be of huge benefit if England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were to consider a similar scheme of putting nature at the core of children's education, and when I get time I will contact the relevant authorities in each region with the same proposal. In the meantime, to sum up, there are hopeful signs of further co-operation with Natural England and their continuing engagement with our campaign. We've made huge progress that has already saved the lives of countless wild birds, and there's lots to build on. Let's keep going strong. For the birds. Best, Jase Plan to end uncontrollable Cormorant culls "has our attention", promises Natural England This week I had an email from Natural England's Head of Wildlife Licensing - with some really promising news. You'll recall that last month I pooled all of our ideas aimed at ending the uncontrolled Cormorant culls, and I put forward a 5 point plan to Natural England suggesting reforms to the current broken system. I'll quote from the message. "Hi Jason, Just a quick update for you. We’ve started some internal discussion on this and we are considering how we might evaluate changes to cormorant licensing. I’ve had some early views which we will try and develop. Reform/change might take some time to do alongside our other licensing priorities.... But I want to reassure you this has our attention." Now, I know we all want change to happen quickly, I'm a 'get it done now' kind of chap, and it's frustrating to hear the words 'this might take some time', but nevertheless I am encouraged that Natural England is now actively seeking to change the current system. Believe me, it's real progress. Significant change doesn't happen overnight, not in today's world of politics combined with environmental detachment. Governments - and much of the public - have lost a vital connection to the natural world. Often it seems morality and ethics are perceived as inconvenient. And so, because of this, it's difficult to quickly alter perceptions and attitudes that don't have respect for nature at their core. The bigger picture Growing up, I was instilled with a love for the natural world, and nature was everywhere, from a biodiverse countryside to suburban gardens full of life. I know that those of a certain vintage like myself will remember those days. I was privileged to have a wonderful primary school teacher, Mrs Slater, who taught me very early on in my life to discover magic in nature and to find an infinitely bigger view of the world around me. It's been the most valuable and wonderful advice. Now I'm in my 50's, and I see our countryside ravaged by industrial farming and clumsy development, and suburbia turned into a plastic nightmare. But rather than giving up any last shred of hope (which would be so very easy to do), I try to see the bigger picture. Although it is desperately frustrating, indeed heartbreaking, to see ongoing destruction of nature, including birds being lethally controlled as in the case of Cormorants, I cling on to the hope that our efforts today will secure the survival of wildlife in the years ahead. It's that thing about 'people who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit'. It's still the right thing to do, and the policy changes we are influencing now will benefit birds and other wildlife for future generations. Empathy with nature Empathy is what is required, and especially an empathy with nature. I think that's where we come in. You and I instinctively know that killing cormorants to protect fisheries is wrong. That shooting gulls because they 'steal chips' is wrong. That culling badgers is wrong. You and I know that chopping down trees to build roads is wrong. And that replacing grass with plastic is wrong (and absurd). It's so obvious to us, but not, it seems, to the majority. Education There's no cure for the selfish behaviour which is at the core of much environmental destruction, but respect for nature can be taught - as it was when I was growing up. Education is key, and the best educators have empathy and understanding. It's an uphill struggle trying to defend and protect the wildlife and environment that I knew in my youth; it is, to quote the playwright Tony Kushner, "a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we've left behind, and dreaming ahead". But do let's dream ahead. Today's hope will make tomorrow a better day. And we are making progress. Yesterday's email from Natural England is good. In fact it's really good. It's a bit of light. And it's so far removed from the long silences and dismissive responses I used to get from them when I started the campaign. It's working Please be assured that our campaign is working. Together we have stopped local Starling culls, we have largely ended the supply of Black-headed Gull eggs to restaurants (at least for this year), and we have saved many urban gulls from being lethally 'controlled'. Now I am hopeful we will see an end to Cormorant culling too. But that's just the start, because I believe that we have also fundamentally changed the way Natural England approaches each and every licence application. This means that our wild birds are safer now than they were before. We have gained the respect of Natural England, who now listen to our suggestions and actively engage with us. Perhaps most of all, we have increased public awareness of the plight of our wild birds. Because ultimately the future of our natural environment will depend not on governments but on wider public perception and enlightenment. Education and empathy. All of that is why our campaign continues. On behalf of the birds, thank you. Best, Jase
* Radical overhaul of Cormorant cull licences is being considered by Natural England
* Proposals to scale back culling will be discussed * Ongoing licensing reforms could be good news for the iconic species A radical plan to save Cormorants from controversial mass culling is being considered by Natural England. I put forward the plan following a request from Natural England in which they asked me, and readers of my blog, for suggestions on how to reform the lethal control licences. The government agency has approved the annual culling of thousands of the iconic birds for many years, on behalf of inland fisheries and angling clubs, who complain about the birds eating fish. I initially raised concerns with Natural England after I was contacted by a number of people who had been deeply shocked by the sheer number of Cormorants being killed each year. (The statistics are now published annually in full, for public scrutiny, a direct result of pressure from our campaign). In response Natural England told me they would be interested to hear both my suggestions, and those of my readers, about ways to improve the current system. So, after great feedback from followers and supporters of my blog and campaign, I have put together a plan to overhaul the Cormorant licences. I'll come to the details in a moment. Anglers against "disgusting practice" of culling Interestingly, I was also contacted by keen anglers who are strongly opposed to the culling of Cormorants in the name of their hobby. One told me "I have been a keen angler since the 1950s and have never met anyone who would support the slaughter of any seabirds. This disgusting practice must be stopped, not licensed." So if it's not the anglers themselves backing the Cormorant culls then who is it? Presumably the owners of the fisheries who invest heavily in (over?)stocking their reservoirs, thus attracting Cormorants which, naturally enough, consume some fish - though only around 500g each per day. For the owners of these fisheries, of course, maximising profits is everything - but the government too rakes in huge income from fishing licences.... Over 1 million (1,090,068) fishing licences were sold to anglers between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021, generating £24,583,342 in income. Lots of vested interests then in keeping profits up and fisheries happy. But is it at the expense of wild birds....? Cormorants in noticeable decline? There are lots of reasons why I'm worried about the majestic Cormorant. Although not officially of conservation concern, it is my belief that the species' population in the UK is approaching a critical point. Many people have told me they hardly see any of the birds now, compared to just a few years ago when they were a much more common sight. There appears to be a very noticeable decline. Indeed, it's a trend that may be reflected across much of Europe too. According to the European Commission in 2020, "In the last years there have been signs that numbers are in decline in several of the core breeding areas." The population stats are complicated by the fact that there are two different sub species of Cormorant living in Europe and the UK; we really need to be mindful of this, because it would seem the population status of each can differ dramatically and might perhaps lead to a misinterpretation and inaccurate overestimates of the actual population status. With Natural England clearly willing to listen to our concerns, I have put forward a plan to save Cormorants from the culls. '5 Point' Plan Point one: is that ideally we want to see a complete end to mass culling of Cormorants. It's that simple. Killing a species because it impacts on a hobby or an industry's profits is not reasonable and cannot be justified on those grounds alone. So point one, overriding all the other points, would be to stop issuing licences that enable the culling to continue. That said, we live in the real world.... I might be an idealist at heart but when it comes to dealing with government, I know that idealism doesn't cut it. So, with that in mind, I would begin with a major overhaul of the current approach to licensing. This would include tightening up eligibility requirements for applicants, making it more difficult to obtain a licence, and especially ensuring better monitoring of both the actions carried out and of the persons permitted to shoot the birds. Which brings us to... Point 2: Independent volunteer monitors should be present at each cull (if Natural England can't effectively monitor the licences then perhaps the public can...) Point 3: Any individual who obtains a licence is required to post a notice in a public place stating their intention to shoot Cormorants on a given date, ahead of the day of culling. (Note: I have already suggested to Natural England that there should be public notices on display ahead of any proposed bird culls, especially in public places such as parks, when in the name of 'public health and safety'. There was much general support for this idea when I proposed it in response to the destruction of Mallard, Coot and Moorhen eggs, a couple of years ago. People do want to be made aware of these activities, and have a voice in local decision making). Point 4: Licence holders should upload date stamped photographic evidence of birds killed, within 24 hours of the action being taken. This may not 'prove' the extent of the action taken but is another requirement that would encourage discipline. Point 5: Currently, it seems that a minority of those shooting Cormorants may be lacking integrity and might even be acting illegally. In the light of alleged incidences of inexperienced and/or irresponsible persons being employed to shoot the birds, Natural England should have a verified list of persons in different parts of the country whom they could task, where deemed necessary, to carry out any shooting permitted under the licences. If a licence holder were to employ an individual directly, then Natural England should (of course) confirm that the stated individual has a valid gun licence - in this case all lethal control licences should be passed to the relevant authority, perhaps the police, for verification. Once approved, no other persons can be subsequently added to the licence. Any amendments would void the licence and prevent renewals. (I would suggest too that fines should be imposed for proven misuse of the licence). Proposals will be discussed and considered Natural England have already responded positively to our initial proposals and have told me that the suggestions will be discussed. "We’ve got a comprehensive programme of licensing reform ongoing at the moment so we could programme some changes in." they told me, adding that "given some of the changes proposed, we may need to consult and/or seek the views of stakeholders too (e.g. Angling Trust) so we might not be able to make these immediately which I am sure you will understand." They told me that "the suggestions will be considered and we will update in due course." Those are very promising words from Natural England. Knowing that we have already influenced policy on similar licensing matters (the majority withdrawal of licences to collect gull eggs for human consumption, for example), I feel confident that we will see the implementation of new licensing regulations benefitting Cormorants too. We must save these beautiful birds from a steep and potentially irreversible decline. I would like to see the end of Cormorant culls and increased protection for this iconic species. I think we might achieve it. Special thanks to all those who contributed ideas, too many of you to mention by name - but each and every one very much appreciated. In particular I would like to thank the many people who wrote constructive comments on my blog (HERE), on Change.org (HERE) and the good people who sent me direct messages too. It's heartening to know that compassion and kindness are alive and well out there, along with a generous amount of common sense. You will see that several of your comments and suggestions form part of the proposals I've put forward to Natural England, and everyone can be justifiably proud of a real team effort that will (hopefully) bring more protection for our wild birds. Thank you for your support. I'll be back in touch when I have heard again from Natural England. Best, Jase
* Licences issued to cull more than 11,000 Cormorants in past 5 years
* Suggestions that illegal culling may be taking place * Many more birds may have been shot than licences allow * Natural England: "we are reliant on honest declarations" "None of the people I have ever encountered who had licences to shoot Cormorants could count..." (quote from online 'country sports' forum) Natural England has admitted that their Cormorant culling licences rely on the honesty and integrity of applicants - but there are suggestions that some of those employed to shoot the birds might be killing many more than their legal limit. A number of readers have asked me to look at the licences that Natural England approves annually, enabling the culling of Cormorants, so I did some research and discussed the matter with Natural England's head of wildlife licensing. It's a worrying situation and I believe there are signs that the licences may have been misused. I've discovered that some of the people entrusted with shooting Cormorants may be doing so unlawfully, outside of the strict stipulations of Natural England's licences, including an example of a licence holder who was officially permitted to kill 5 Cormorants but allegedly ended up culling 100 birds before they 'sank out of sight'. Unsustainable Killing? Generally these licences are issued to angling clubs and inland fisheries who say that Cormorants pose a serious threat to their fish stocks. At least 11,000 Cormorants were licensed to be culled during the past five years, in England alone. I believe that this level of killing could adversely affect the sustainability of the Cormorant population (a mere 9,000 breeding pairs in the whole of the UK, swelled by around 40,000 winter migrants). It's a thorny issue for the government though, as anglers provide a lucrative income stream for Defra, who sell fishing licences at up to £82 each. With an estimated 95,000 anglers in England alone, this amounts to significant revenue. Most anglers are no doubt responsible hobbyists, many might even love Cormorants as much as the rest of us, but there remains an element for whom the birds are considered a 'pest'. Lack of monitoring - and Natural England seem concerned.... But - it is the lack of monitoring around the licences that worries me most. And, having discussed the matter with Natural England, I'm sensing that they might have their own concerns over the Cormorant culls. Indications of licence abuse On a public forum of one of the major 'country sports' websites with 48,000 users, there are open discussions about killing more than the maximum quota of Cormorants permitted under the licences. There is no attempt to hide the fact that some members of the angling and/or shooting community hold these magnificent birds in contempt and would happily despatch as many as they could, given the chance. Indeed there are reasons to believe that many more of the birds are indeed shot each year than the legally permitted number, potentially leaving the Cormorants vulnerable to unregulated hunting. One contributor to the forum said, "None of the people I have ever encountered who had licences to shoot Cormorants could count..." Another wrote glibly "I don't know any anglers who would give you grief for shooting a few extra 'black death'..." And another, "if I were asked to carry out such work,I would go really early and shoot as many as I could..." Worryingly, a novice Cormorant killer wrote and asked for advice on how best to shoot the birds. He or she had been added to a licence issued by Natural England, had no experience at all, yet was entrusted with killing these magnificent birds. There's something very wrong here. Cormorant culling cannot be adequately monitored. And if we cannot trust those with licences to act responsibly then who knows how many birds are actually being shot? The situation is alarming and needs urgent attention. The questions I put to Natural England So I asked Natural England to shed some light on what processes they have in place to monitor the system. Though they are very willing to discuss the matter with me, I found their response somewhat unsettling, as they are clearly unable to monitor the large number of licences that they issue. Indeed they have asked me and my readers for suggestions as to how they can improve the system for issuing and monitoring Cormorant cull licences. Which I think illustrates that they themselves don't know how to adequately control it. Natural England 'reliant on honest declarations' Describing the application process, Natural England told me that they require applicants to declare any convictions for wildlife crimes by ticking a box and providing details, but they freely admit that they are "reliant on the honest declarations from licence applicants." They told me that they would be keen to hear from me, or my readers, if there is any different information we think they should capture as part of the application or renewal process and added "We could consider this as part of our reform/improvement work." Natural England offer to discuss proposals While I strongly emphasise that I remain entirely against any culling of Cormorants, I doubt that Natural England are anywhere near that point, and so I have suggested to them that the numbers of cormorants culled at least needs to be reduced significantly, as a matter of urgency. With that in mind, I also indicated that Natural England needs to have a verified list of persons in different parts of the country who they could employ, where they deemed necessary, to carry out any shooting permitted by the licences, rather than allow the licence holders themselves the freedom to add people to the licence (perhaps enabling those with limited or no qualifications to carry out the culling). I'm pleased to report that Natural England have told me that both of these points will be discussed with their improvements team. I hope the changes will be implemented going forward. Collaboration with Angling Trust Natural England's Head of Wildlife Licensing Service told me "I concede NE [Natural England] is exposed to the honesty and integrity of applicants for the cormorant licence....we also collaborate with the Angling Trust to ensure that their members are aware of their duties and, in particular, non-lethal measures are used fully (even if they have a licence to shoot)." He added "It is not possible for NE to be everywhere at every moment on every licence. That’s true of all our licensing work. Therefore, I would be very keen to hear your views on how NE might access data intelligence to monitor cormorant licensing better. Intelligence and information from members of the public etc is critical in helping NE with its compliance/enforcement activity." Natural England reiterated that they would be happy to hear our recommendations for improvements to the system. If implemented, they said "we could do this in collaboration with the Angling Trust to aid their smooth introduction." It's a generous offer from Natural England, although one that doesn't instill confidence in the current process as it stands. In addition to the points I've put forward already, please let me have any ideas you have too and I will pass the information on for consideration. As you know, our campaign has already been able to influence decision making at the highest level and will continue to do so. It's disheartening to realise time and again that human mentality has not changed much since the days of killing Dodos, Great Auks and Passenger Pigeons. People may protest that 'it's not the same thing' - but it is, it really is. So many animals gone forever. Callous killing to satisfy the whims of humankind must be stopped, or we will surely lose more and more species. And that is not okay. Thanks, as always for your support and encouragement. Best, Jase
* Shocking 99% decline in Lesser Black-backed gulls at Suffolk coastal site
* The amber-listed gull is especially vulnerable to collision with offshore wind turbines * Plans to further expand industrial wind projects in the area could prove disastrous for birds A shocking 99% decline in the population of Lesser Black-backed gulls raises serious questions over the impact of industrial wind farm development in the North Sea. Huge wind farms nearby.... The alarming reduction in the numbers of breeding birds at Suffolk's Orford Ness coastal reserve has been noticed over several years, and so is probably the result of many contributing factors - but we cannot ignore the fact that two vast areas of wind turbines lie just off the coast. Massive industrial wind turbines have been operating in the vicinity since the Greater Gabbard wind farm was completed back in 2012, joined by the Galloper wind farm's array of 56 huge turbines in 2018. With plans announced for even more industrial wind development in the area, the seas off the Suffolk coast could soon prove to be deadly for many species. "Not clear" why numbers dropped so dramatically The National Trust which manages the Orford Ness reserve told the East Anglian Daily Times that "In recent years we’ve seen [LBB Gull] numbers dwindle even further, which means we need to do more to protect them.” They said that "it's not clear why numbers dropped so dramatically", pointing out that disturbance from visitors to the site is 'almost certainly' one cause. Species especially vulnerable to turbine collisions It has been well established that Lesser Black-backed gulls are especially vulnerable to collision with wind turbines. A 2019 study by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) used GPS tracking to show that the species is particularly at risk from turbine blades during migration and in winter months. Key data 'ignored' in some planning assessments A recent study by the Zoological Society of London, focusing on wind farm development off the Welsh coast, pointed out the UK has some of the best seabird monitoring anywhere in the world, but lamented that "key data is being ignored during offshore windfarm planning assessments." Project to protect remaining birds........ funded by wind farm Now, as the local Orford Ness LBB gull population has dwindled to just 210 breeding pairs, a project has finally been initiated, aimed at protecting the remaining birds. Two 'gull officers' have been appointed to monitor the site and 'raise awareness' among the local community in an attempt to limit human encroachment on the gulls' territory. The cynical among us might feel uncomfortable that these 'gull officer' positions have been funded by.... the Galloper Offshore Wind Farm. It seems a little ironic that the wind industry is financing the project, rather than the National Trust which manages the site. Catastrophic threat to sea birds Raising awareness of the gulls' decline is welcome, but I fear that the project is a drop in the ocean and will do little to protect the gulls from the obvious and potentially catastrophic threat lurking offshore. With the frenzied expansion of the wind industry in Britain's seas, we must acknowledge that the tragic decline in seabirds might not be caused solely by local environmental effects - but also by direct impact, quite literally, from the huge wind turbines that continue to proliferate around our coasts. A two year bird survey programme, carried out as part of Galloper Wind Farm's marine licence obligations, will conclude in June 2022 and report to the Government's Marine Management Organisation. I don't know if the results of these surveys will be made public, but if so then it will be interesting to see how the wind farm has affected bird populations since its operations began. Meanwhile we can only hope that the Orford Ness gull project will not only raise local awareness, but also highlight the real plight of birds being decimated at sea by the expanding presence of the offshore wind industry.
Following my update last week about the Black-headed gull eggs, this is just a quick post to let you know that Natural England's wildlife licensing data has now been published on the gov.uk website HERE
The bird control data file itself is directly downloadable by clicking HERE Unfortunately it is a fairly daunting document as it includes all data since 2014; I am told by Natural England that this is so that we can compare 2021 data with previous years - but you may have to have some knowledge of spreadsheets to properly analyse the figures. Nevertheless it's there, and available for public scrutiny, which is what we want. People Power! So very well done everyone! People power works. We now have access to several years of complete licensing data, and all thanks to our campaign. We really are making a difference. And it really is saving our wild birds. Our voices are being heard and I know Natural England is listening. There is much work still to do - and of course our campaign continues! I'll be continuing to examine the figures, so please let me know if you see areas of concern and I will ask Natural England for clarification. Thanks again, very sincerely, for your support. Best, Jase
* Exclusive:-
* Natural England halts licensing for Black-headed gull eggs over sustainability concerns. * Thousands of eggs had been traditionally sold each spring through 'fine dining' establishments. * Decision to halt 'abhorrent' trade in Hampshire will secure the survival of thousands of amber-listed gulls. Natural England has confirmed to me today that they will not be issuing any licences for the collection of Black-headed gull eggs this year in Hampshire, the primary area that has traditionally been at the centre of the controversial activity. Each Spring, the eggs of this amber listed species are collected in their thousands to supply the fine dining trade, under licences issued by Natural England. But following an evidence review last year, together with pressure from our campaign, it has been decided that the activity was 'no longer sustainable' in the county and that damage to protected areas could not be ruled out, should it continue. Off The Menu Hampshire has long been the focus of the abhorrent trade in amber-listed gull eggs, with the county supplying the bulk of eggs to high end restaurants and gourmet grocery stores across the UK. This latest development means that they should be off most menus, for the time being at least. Previous licence holders will retain their right to apply for the licences in future but Natural England told me that applications will be assessed annually to reflect the latest evidence. Yorkshire Licences Remain In Place, For Now Licences for the taking of gull eggs are still currently issued, in very limited numbers, to individuals in North Yorkshire - the only other area where the practice has traditionally taken place - but the decision to stop all egg collecting in Hampshire will secure the survival of thousands of gulls. Appalling Trade Coming To An End? It finally looks like the appalling trade in gull eggs for human consumption might be coming to an end but we must keep up the pressure and keep a close watch on the Yorkshire licences that still remain in place for now.... I hope that this anachronistic practice will soon be a thing of the past. A huge success for our campaign, and for common sense. Thank you everyone. p.s. I've been told that the full licensing data will now be published on the gov.uk website on 30th March, a little later than expected. |
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July 2023
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