Signs Of Progress. Natural England Shares Ambition To Scale Back Number Of Red List Licences25/11/2021
"I share your ambition to reduce these red listed licence numbers further"
David Slater, Director for Wildlife Licensing and Enforcement Cases, Natural England, November 2021 You may remember last month I called on Natural England to stop issuing all lethal control licences for red listed species, including Lapwing, Curlew and Herring Gull. Due to public pressure largely driven by our campaign, there had already been a significant reduction in the number of licences issued in the past year or two. But still red listed species of serious conservation concern were appearing on Natural England's annual declaration of data. (this declaration itself is also a major success of our campaign - previously the data had been hidden). A Shared Ambition... After sharing my concerns with them, Natural England have been keen to explain the remaining red list licences. This week they supplied me with concise data of the licences, which I am reproducing below with their permission. Natural England's Director for Wildlife Licensing & Enforcement Cases, David Slater, told me that "with the exception of herring gull, all the licences were issued for air safety". (Note: just to clarify this, you can see in the data that there are in fact a small number of licences for Starling and House Sparrow that were not issued for air safety). As I've said before, the matter of air safety remains a highly contentious and difficult issue. The actual number of licences issued is relatively low, though still significant. My response is to ask why most airports seem to be able to manage birds within their parameters without resorting to lethal control methods, while a small handful are still killing endangered birds and destroying their eggs. Nevertheless, in the light of recent reductions in the number of licences issued, I suggested to Natural England that it shouldn't be too difficult, with some 'out of the box' thinking and determination, to achieve zero lethal control for these species. And they seem to agree. Mr Slater told me today that "I share your ambition to reduce these red listed licence numbers further." So that's good. The Curlew Egg Project - Real Progress or Symbolic Gesture? Speaking of air safety, Natural England have been super keen to show me their video illustrating a project they initiated to relocate some Curlew eggs. The eggs were collected and hatched away from the airfield and the chicks successfully raised and released into a safer environment. It is an impressive film production, complete with lilting soundtrack and starring Natural England's very own Tony Juniper and even Prince Charles. But, much as this project seems to have been a success, my immediate response was to ask whether this was just a small symbolic gesture or whether the scheme would be rolled out to more areas, saving Curlew that are otherwise still being killed, and whether other birds could also be treated to similar conservation efforts, the Lapwing for example. Natural England told me "Yes we want to expand....that is a very live conversation at the moment." Any expansion of the programme might depend on finding suitable places to release where the birds will flourish. Safe Curlew habitat is scarce, another legacy of our over industrialised countryside. Disappointingly, Natural England added that there is 'less certainty' about establishing any similar project to save Lapwing, also a red listed species in decline, and one for which Natural England is still issuing lethal control permissions. Progress is slow. Whether there is time to have all necessary 'live conversations' while populations are in freefall, is the real question. A race against time. But it's a positive start and I remain hopeful that further progress will be made - and that the number of lethal control licences issued will continue to fall. Herring Gulls With regard to Herring Gulls, the picture is less clear. Though there has been a recent reduction in licences issued to control them, still the numbers are in my opinion far too high. Natural England told me "As you can imagine we get a lot of interest from local authorities to control large gull species in towns where they are perceived as a pest or a nuisance. We issue very few licences for lethal control". But it still meant that since 2020, Natural England approved the killing of 309 Herring Gulls and the destruction of more than 5,000 Herring Gull eggs. Natural England told me today that "We are currently reviewing the evidence to set those thresholds for next year." Let's hope that the review will see a sharp reduction in the number of licences issued, bearing in mind that the Herring Gull population in the UK has been in rapid decline for many years. Egg Collection For The Restaurant Trade Interesting to note that I also asked about the licences that Natural England issues each year to collect the eggs of (amber listed) Black-headed gulls for the 'fine dining' industry - it's clearly an unethical and outdated practice in the 21st century. The collection of these eggs, in large numbers, is based on 'bequeathed rights' which no doubt makes it slightly more complex. But there may be some interesting changes on the horizon. Mr Slater told me on this matter that he recently met with stakeholders to look at licences for next year and added "There will be something public on this in the new year." So watch this space.... In spite of small steps, we are making progress and I feel confident that our voices are being heard and that Natural England is now sharing at least some of our goals. Let's keep up the pressure. Best, Jase
14 Comments
Edna May Parker
25/11/2021 03:25:56 pm
Can't see any neccesity to kill birds and destroy eggs, there are plenty of ways to safeguard aircraft without destruction, imagine it was your children being killed to save cars, how would you feel then
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Keith Dancey
5/12/2021 08:56:50 pm
"imagine it was your children being killed to save cars, how would you feel then"
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nigel gray
25/11/2021 05:03:52 pm
I live in Devon, and In my own back garden, in terms of bird species decline -10 years ago I used to get around 20 starlings coming into my garden to feed on what I put out. Now I get just 3 regulars, one of whom I call 'psycho' as he guards the bird table for himself, and fights off any other bird that makes the attempt..( unless it happens to be a wood pigeon).
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Caroline Miller
25/11/2021 05:16:26 pm
Why is any of this necessary! Leave them alone!!
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Keith Dancey
5/12/2021 09:06:36 pm
Because, in the real world, birds can sometimes represent a threat to human safety. For an example, a murmuration of Starlings flying into the air intakes of a passenger jet could cause the engines to fail and the aircraft to crash into an urban area.
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Julie T
25/11/2021 06:40:06 pm
It is still maddening that *Red Listed* species are still being destroyed at all! I hope it is hopeful that Natural England do seem to be starting to listen, but we will continue to be vigilant.
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Doug S
25/11/2021 08:14:29 pm
The Curlew video is excellent. Must have given great satisfaction to all involved. I hope that this initiative can be extended elsewhere
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Julia Dance
25/11/2021 09:38:42 pm
I feel that by dragging Natural England into the light and putting us lot on to them , you have kick started the process of making this disfunctional arm of government work for nature and not vested interest. Thank you
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Janet
26/11/2021 08:52:54 am
Jase, you’ve worked long and hard on this. Thank you! I believe nothing would have changed without your determination to a) get the information Natural England have been loathe to disclose b) open dialogue with them, c) push for change in attitude, approach and practices.
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Mike Coker
26/11/2021 12:17:21 pm
Jason,
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sian
27/11/2021 09:45:01 am
jason
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Keith Dancey
5/12/2021 09:10:08 pm
"Personally, I don't see the point of having a red list if they can still issues licences to kill the birds listed on them. Madness"
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Julie Taylor
3/1/2022 08:59:56 pm
"There will be something public on this in the new year."
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Keith Dancey
3/1/2022 10:37:23 pm
During the breeding and raising of so-called 'game birds' they have *always* been classed as 'livestock'. That is to provide them with the legal protection afforded to all 'owned' livestock (and to allow the birds to be legally farmed).
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