The Cormorant Killers - Time To End 'Uncontrollable Hunting' Of Iconic Birds

13/5/2022

* 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

55 Comments

Trisch K

15/5/2022 11:13:11 am

Yet again, another example of man`s ignorance and selfishness. Natural England please wake up to the fact that more cormorants are being needlessly killed than your licence allows - how can the actual numbers be monitored with such haphazard control. Have we any right to cull cormorants? No - let nature take it`s course.

Anne Dexter

15/5/2022 11:31:37 am

I cannot understand how anyone would want to kill these beautiful birds. Especially as the numbers are so low. What is wrong with anglers, surely the amount of fish these beautiful birds catch is not that enormous? They have no understanding of the natural world obviously. I wonder if it’s worth contacting Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer as they seem to be very environmentally concerned in their popular fishing program. They could bring up the topic possibly as they are going to be making another series. It honestly breaks my heart how cruel people are to nature. Thank you for all you do.

monica whynot

15/5/2022 12:13:13 pm

I agree with you Mortimer and Whitehouse would I am sure get on board as you say they are very conservation minded fishermen , I can't understand why people are so ready to put any kind of living thing on the extinction list there is something wrong with the mind set ;

Tim Burke

15/5/2022 05:14:20 pm

The angling press spreads antiquated and false beliefs about cormorants. Such as they will continue fishing until they empty a lake - whereas they would starve hunting diminished fish stocks; that they will continue eating until they can't fly etc. They ignore that most inland cormorants have flighted in to roost and feed mainly offshore or in estuaries - they don't know about where cormorants prefer to feed - and many fishing lake managers don't ensure that their lakes have shallow and weedy areas as refuges for fish. In rivers they blame cormorants rather than pesticides if fish stocks are poor. They have the same prejudices against sawbills.

Jonathan Davis

15/5/2022 11:50:36 am

Thank you for trying to stop this hideous practice Jason. Till I read your Change campaign I had no idea that this happened. I know most people on here agree but just to say that I have no idea how people can bring themselves to kill such beautiful creatures. To justify it because they argue that it affects their fishing hobby demonstrates breathtaking selfishness. These birds should be protected not killed. The number of fish they take is negligible. I imagine that most people that kill them don’t have the faintest idea how many fish they take. Many more fish die of disease or from being caught by selfish fishermen I imagine. Even if cormorants took a material number of fish it should be irrelevant. They are part of the ecosystem, eat fish to live and should be left to do so. To describe them as pests is self serving and selfish. I simply don’t understand how the brain works of someone who can kill a cormorant. I really hope the campaign succeeds.

Sue Harwood

15/5/2022 12:42:38 pm

I agree with you. And Wind Farms will certainly considerably deplete the number of sea and coastal birds anyway. Why do human beings have to kill so much ? It's a sickness, I think.

Keith Dancey

15/5/2022 04:18:37 pm

Licensed fishing lakes are businesses, first and foremost. They are artificially stocked with the type of fish that bring in fishermen. That costs money.

The fishermen do not kill the fish they catch: they are competing for numbers and size.

The problem is that this artificial stock of inland fish provides easy meals for hungry Cormorants, who travel inland and find these places.

Eventually, the Cormorants would eat most of the fish, and the owner then has to pay to restock.

So, it is a clash between a business and the natural habit of Cormorants which damage that business.

One thing which could be done is to remove all the surrounding tall trees from around such a lake, because Cormorants use those trees to spot fish (they do not hunt on the wing much) and they also need to use those trees to dry their wings (Cormorant feathers are not water-proof).

Doing that makes it much harder for Cormorants to de-stock a fishing lake.

Another technique which can be employed is to provide underwater refuges for fish to hide beneath, tilting the predator/prey balance in favour of the prey.

Refuges for fish could also include lakeside shrubbery and fringe reed beds.

For small ponds, clearly marked overhead wires can be effective.

Another technique, as employed at Ritland Water, is to stock with fish which are simply too large for Cormorants to take.

All these methods should be tried before any shooting license is granted.

15/5/2022 04:43:54 pm

Keith Dancy,
Please, really? The solution is to cut down mature trees. These businesses need to cope with the cost of operation, which includes predation by natural predators. If they cannot make the business work with all of the circumstances they face, it isn’t a viable business. Apart from anything else, it’s a business which is there to support a hobby, not to support food production. It comes below maintaining our precious and delicate environment. At least I think it does.

21/5/2022 02:29:48 pm

Jonathan Davis,

How many trees are there in the UK and how many Cormorants?

And what is wrong about a business supporting a hobby?

After all, birdwatching does not support food production either.

Masha

15/5/2022 08:48:41 pm

I approve of Trisha’s comment that it was “man’s” ignorance (nearly always is a bloke). Regardless, these incredible wild creatures are a
Joy to observe, protect and respect.

Terry McElligott

15/5/2022 11:42:39 pm

Natural England are out of control issuing culling licences for birds in danger. But they issue these licences willy nilly to anyone needing to do a job anywhere. Network Rail is slaughtering all manner of birds and other wildlife as they tear up and destroy the habitat along side the railway embankments during nesting season. The contractors used to remove the habitat have no clue what species they are killing with their strimmers and chain saws. Slow worms, adders, ground nesting birds. It's sickening as many are on the endangered red list.
These licences to kill must be stopped now before there is nothing left.

Sally Webmark-Taylor

15/5/2022 11:26:06 am

I am horrified to read this. Comorants are magnificent creatures, that we are blessed to have in the country. They do no harm, apart from possibly to fish farming, which is unnatural anyway and could be protected by other means... Culling should be forbidden, as any wild creature will adjust its population naturally. And letting anyone take a shot for fun, is criminal

Christina

15/5/2022 11:28:09 am

Enough is enough - protect cormorants from these cowardly humans. There will never be peace until there is peace for all and that includes non-human animals. Time to evolve, people.

Howard Youdan

15/5/2022 11:29:50 am

I have been a keen angler since the 1950s and have never met anyone who would support the slaughter of any seabirds. Indeed many of us are delighted to see them returning in increasing numbers to the river Mersey since the clean up. This disgusting practice must be stopped, not licensed.

James Arthur

27/3/2023 11:43:55 pm

You must not know any other anglers. I do agree with controlling cormorant numbers. When they find a source of food, they will not stop until either everything has been eaten or it's time to go home. This issue was highlighted decades ago, unfortunately in some locations, the lasting damage has already been done. I find this article on the extreme side of the issue, far from sensible.

Steve Armstrong link

15/5/2022 11:44:41 am

I dont agree with culling animals or birds because they upset a balance. And I find it very unsettling that NE cant regulate the culling once they issue a licence. It gives free reign to people culling hundreds of birds as they desire to protect their fishing stock - basically the whole situation is a mess, completely unregulated and its a great shame for the Comorants who are being killed. There is something wrong with this whole situation that an Agency can decide if an innocent animal can live or die. Its all very wrong but we need more people like Jason Endfield to highlight whats going on so we can stop or get this changed. What did the Comorant do wrong to the people of this planet ? Not one thing.

Roy Baker

15/5/2022 11:51:34 am

How sick, people who get enjoyment out of harming fish killing birds that they see as competition. Cormorants are amazing birds albeit that they eat fish - at least they are starving otherwise - not doing it for pleasure.

Ray

15/5/2022 11:55:28 am

So upset to read this. I love watching the cormorant fish in the River Torridge where I live, such magnificent creatures! They only take what they can eat. If there is any issue with the natural balance it is no doubt human, and therefore our responsibility to address it and make changes to protect our wildlife. Thank you Jase for all that you do!

James Shepherd

15/5/2022 12:00:32 pm

Surely time now to limit angling licence numbers, and restrict the times fishing is allowed? Heavy fines against law breakers would easily make up any shortfall in licence fees.

ROY GLADWELL

15/5/2022 12:08:50 pm

How the heck can a group that is supposed to represent the countryside of England be actually subversive to it. Natural England needs to be run by people that have a genuine desire to save our fast diminishing countryside and not by those that only answer to a human issue with birds and animals is to cull them. Perhaps we need someone that has a real care for our wildlife to run Natural England and bring it's employees into line. The killing of Cormorants is diabolical and NE need to stop issuing licences if they do not have the staff to monitor what the hell is going on. I say to Natural England look at our skies, look at our coast and look at our countryside as a whole and then you tell me that culling birds is a good idea. I remember in the 90's walking along Weymouth sea front and the number of gulls and sea birds enhanced the enjoyment of the seaside now you are lucky to see a few birds. I also find it pure ignorance that some Anglers care less about sharing the rivers when it comes to their bloody sport, the birds have a right to fish along a river as they were here long before man even got to these shores. Act now or have virtually empty skies, our future generations do not deserve not to see the amount of birds and animals that I saw as a child. I point to history and man's so called control over the birds, billions of Passenger Pigeons were wiped out in the USA and now there is not a single live bird to be found. Do we really want to treat our world like that? It is pointless, moronic and downright ignorant to cull any wild creature for the sake of being able to do so.

kevin Stonebanks

15/5/2022 06:44:03 pm

I couldn't agree more. NE is the ultimate misnomer. Sadly, as with so many things, it is all about money and the "economy". Sadder still is that there is clearly a significant proportion of the population that have no care for wildlife, and no patience for any disturbance to their "rights" or "way of life". For them climate change & loss of biodiversity is just something that the BBC and the Guardian moan about from time to time, and "won't affect my generation"

LizzyB

16/5/2022 09:44:54 am

I agree wholeheartedly with you Roy. 30 years ago my good sized suburban garden was alive with typical town birds. Their song both morning and night was a delight. Now I’m lucky to hear more than crows pigeons and sparrows, none of which are song birds!! NE should be disbanded as there is NOTHING natural about culling our wildlife be it birds bees or badgers. Human greed and overpopulation is the real threat to human survival, overpopulation is the biggest threat to their own kind. The world population has doubled in my lifetime and unlike nature people do NOT control breeding as nature naturally does. Wake up and smell the coffee NE

Louise Pemberton link

16/5/2022 11:41:08 am

I so agree with Roy. I was shocked when NE were asking Jo publics advice! Are they not specialists in our ecosystems? If they are just civil servants off the streets then NE needs a complete shake up and re-organisation. They are not doing our natural habitats any service whatsoever.
All creatures are amazingly beautiful in their own right and have a place to live on earth and a right to live as we do.
Thanks Jason for what you do.

June Madison

15/5/2022 12:33:12 pm

I live on the Cumbria coast Furness Peninsula where there are lovely walks & I used to spend hours watching these lovely birds. Then someone decided they should be killed because they said they killed the fish. PM Tony Blair went along with this, did he have any idea what if any damage was being done to fish stocks in the Irish Sea or indeed our rivers. At the time I was appalled by this decision and I have not seen a single Cormorant on the coast. There were not significant numbers of these birds, but oh joy, to men with guns given licence to shoot them. Why, are they going to be eaten because unlike years ago they were killed to feed their families? The answer to that is No, They call themselves hunters, hunting birds sitting on posts for hours catching the odd fish. It should be stopped, how do we know that other sea birds aren’t killed in the process? Or even birds of prey! We have thousands of Gulls where I live, we had a handful of beautiful Cormorants! Now we have non!

alison Brown

15/5/2022 12:35:18 pm

In this digital age I am genuinely amazed that a method of protecting the fish farms has not been long since in use. If you can put on your heating/lighting/ etc in your home from great distances, how the heck has a few birds got them stumped?

Derek Stanford

15/5/2022 12:52:00 pm

NE to license killing of cormorants. License holders to check and register on dedicated NE web site on the day that they might kill. License holders to photograph bearing a time and date their kill and forward the numbers in photo form to NE. It does not take long to count killed numbers on photographs. This way NE can advise that on any day when killing has to stop. Anyone found killing and not taking photos of proof of kill faces compulsory £5000 fine. This way on a daily basis there is no excuse for NE not to know how many cormorants have been killed and to stop any further killing if necessary. Not that I am advocating any form of killing whatsoever, as I am staunchly against any form of kill or cull. Nature is best left to manage itself. Your notify me square is not working.

Angie

15/5/2022 12:59:29 pm

I think the whole thing is disgusting, who the hell thinks it’s ok to shoot any wildlife under any circumstances, we won’t be happy till we have a cold barren world. This planet is our total existence every thing on it is part of Gods plan , the human race aren’t deserving of it and we won’t be happy till we’ve completely ruined it for all life . In my opinion we should rid ourselves of these disgusting beings they are of no use whatsoever to the development of the world and they are the ones we would be well rid of , the planet does not need these useless cruel murderers.
I’m no holy Joe but the truth is it has been provided by a far superior being than these merciless cruel bastards.
I say let’s rid ourselves of these disgusting objects, no true human beings would want to destroy all of God’s creations. I’ll leave that job to our Creator! 🤫

Richard

15/5/2022 01:25:08 pm

Can someone explain to me why you would want to take a gun and kill a bird, or any wildlife for that matter. There is no need for this to happen no need at all...

George Cummins

15/5/2022 01:43:59 pm

Why kill cormorants at all? Have they no regard at all for the conservative and protection of the natural world?

Doreen

15/5/2022 01:45:08 pm

Jason - I hope you pass all the above comments to NE. I agree with everything said above ... stop killing everything in sight! And stop fishing ...

Roberta King

15/5/2022 01:47:26 pm

With man's inhumanity to man, how can we expect kindness to nature? For centuries, man used cormorants to fish for them. Now, these selfish fishermen want to cull these beautiful creatures. The birds have the nerve to want to live by eating fish, something which they have been designed to do. Man wants to fish as a sport, which takes precedence over the birds' lives.
If it didn't smack to leaving the foxes in charge of the henhouse, I would suggest there be gamekeepers charged with the duty to ensure that cormorants were not victimised by those with or without licences and that those who killed without licences or killed more than allowed be subject to heavy fines per bird killed. These fines could help to offset the 'loss' of revenue caused by the cormorants for the fish farmers, but only if they had a surfeit of cormorants fishing in their ponds. Perhaps these subsidies would be a stimulus for keeping cormorants alive.

Elisa Davey

15/5/2022 03:03:51 pm

Sadly very few people care about the natural world. I met an anglar and birdwatcher who ranted against cormorants. Friends who use banned slug pellets and neighbours and Councils who spend all nesting season cutting down trees and hedges. I lose a lot of "friends" and make myself very unpopular. Us humans are a cruel selfish lot. Incidentally, cormorants are not killing fish, they're eating them

Clare Buchta

15/5/2022 04:12:35 pm

We had the joy of watching one single cormorant fishing off the Dorset coast last week
We looked for more or a colony but this was the only one on the cliffs
There is one on our local pond it is fascinating but no pair unfortunately.
95,000 anglers but how many more bird watchers and other interested people
Consider the economic benefits of allowing these birds to live naturally free from culling , by attracting birdwatchers and other interested people.
Say no to culling before there are no more of these birds to see

Tracy Muskett

15/5/2022 04:12:36 pm

Worryingly Natural England seem to be giving out licences to people who have no experience at all but are being entrusted to kill these magnificent birds.
I agree with Roy, Natural England needs to be run by people who actually care about the birds and the countryside.
Thank you Jason for your tireless work by trying to help our precious wildlife and doing your hardest to educate people!

barrie, llewellyn natusch

15/5/2022 04:25:36 pm

It seems that anything which comes under Government Control is a loser right from the start. However, there seem to be a great many people who are not at all happy with this particular happening and it would be seriously great if licenses granted for the killing of birds could be reviewed by the total population not just a few officials who seem to have know idea about what they are doing. Will it ever happen I wonder, only when it is too late, no doubt.

Matt

15/5/2022 05:02:52 pm

Predator control is only necessary when the ecosystem is damaged. Cormorants can damage salmon runs which are also protected species. The issue isn’t the cormorants fault but habitat loss, over fishing and sea lice from fish farms. Cormorants are a scapegoat as the other issues are too complex to address much like the over fishing of fish at sea which forces them inland in the first place. I have some sympathy with anglers etc trying to protect stocks but habitat improvements should always be a first port of call before even being allowed to apply for licenses and if not sufficient then no license. The issue is as always funding and education. To own or run a fishery sadly doesn’t require a license and this leaves keen passionate people at conflict with nature, rather than aware of the risk and with options to mitigate or live with the issue and accept the natural checks and balances nature provides. More could be done to educate the fisherman to why more fish being caught might not be sustainable, fish welfare being one of them….

Bradley

15/5/2022 05:25:02 pm

It's not just birds where NE licencing is a reliant on the applicant to be truthful on the applications. A very recent article in the Harrogate Advertiser, highlights the problems with large House builders, who instruct and pay surveyors to compile ecology reports and come up short. Surveys which result in licences being sought and granted by NE, on data which must be considered at best, biased.

In the article (www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/environment/discovery-of-badger-setts-halts-harrogate-housing-development-in-kingsley-area-3690718) it reports that Redrow Homes' survey found 4 badger setts in the vicinity of a proposed building site and that only 1 or 2 were likely to be active - contrast that to the local action group who have found 11 setts of which 6 are active.

As this is just the latest site of many to be developed in the area and resulting in the loss of farmland, mature trees and hedgrows, you can't help but wonder what accuracy there was in the reports of the previous developers and what death and destruction has already taken place.

Local councils must also be considered suspect in approving developments on the back of these reports. Reports shouldn't be commissioned and submitted by the proposers, but should be commissioned by the local authority from a group of approved, independent surveyors so that the developer does not know which company is being used, and the cost charged back to the developer as part of the application costs.

It's akin to a mortgage lender accepting a survey sourced and paid for by an applicant, which is never going to happen.

Ruth

15/5/2022 06:48:09 pm

Before licences are granted in an area proof has to be submitted that the said birds are a "nuisance" and are actually threatening fish stocks. This would require the licence applicant to establish that the birds are responsible for a decline in fish stocks rather than say illegal anglers using illegal methods.

Do they also check with the police that the licence applicant has a valid gun licence and appropriate seecurity checks have been made.

Gillian Miller

15/5/2022 07:17:13 pm

The physical number of birds are decreasing and it is time that the system stopped indiscriminate slaughter and reviewed each application using science and thought instead of rubber stamping each application. A complete overhaul of the system using ornithological specialists then scrutinising each application using science then it is likely that most will be turned down.

Michael

15/5/2022 07:39:53 pm

All licenses should be passed to the police for checking of names and suirability. once approved by police any further names addedvoids the licence and may prevent reissue in the future. Checking of kill numbers could be done by local land owners. maybe this would stabilise and reduce the size of culls.

Keith Lane

15/5/2022 10:04:19 pm

What is urgently needed is an Act of Parliament -
To immediately revoke all licences to kill any and all wild creatures of any species,
and,
To make it illegal to hunt or kill any wild creature of any species, with a significant penalty for each and every individual creature killed or injured.
The designation of "wild creatures" would specifically exclude farming of domesticated creatures.
This may also mean that Natural England is closed down, or possibly that it has a new remit of tackling any violations of the Act i.e. to pursue to court any person suspected of killing of any wild creature.

21/5/2022 02:53:05 pm

"What is urgently needed is an Act of Parliament -
To immediately revoke all licences to kill any and all wild creatures of any species,
and,
To make it illegal to hunt or kill any wild creature of any species, with a significant penalty for each and every individual creature killed or injured."

So no one under your dictatorship would be allowed to kill house mice or rats or clothes moths or fleas etc etc and no farmer would be allowed to kill dogs attacking his sheep...?

Clare H Dyas

16/5/2022 11:27:48 am

Any chance of a petition or some action to take ?

Richard C

16/5/2022 11:45:57 am

It would seem a doable first step to require as you suggest Jason that only individuals who can be vetted and approved should be allowed to carry out the licenced killings. That these p eople would be on a NE list and if found to misuse the trust taken off it.
This would of course cost the angling businesses money to employ them but would make sure at least it has some kind of professional integrity. Not ideal but as I say a do-able first step.

Sharon Smithen

16/5/2022 01:05:55 pm

The mind bogles. What kind of people love to go out and just slaughter our wildlife for fun...not good people. Anyway, your suggestions are a good start Jason.
These 'shooting people' cannot be trusted and need monitoring for sure and license's need to stipulate heavy fines will be issued if they...I can't even say it...shoot...more than they are allowed.
Thanks again for your consistent hard work.

keith

17/5/2022 07:54:10 pm

Natural England- 21st Century genocidal mass murderers of Wildlife.
You (Natural England) are the perpetrators of the 21st century wildlife holocaust.
May karma destroy every one of you!

21/5/2022 02:58:41 pm

"You (Natural England) are the perpetrators of the 21st century wildlife holocaust.
May karma destroy every one of you!"

So you are OPPOSED to Natural England helping to prosecute Gamekeepers who illegally kill raptors, for example, or who help uphold our Wildlife laws, or help to restore nature?

Are you a Gamekeeper, by any chance, or someone else prosecuted by Natural England for damaging our environment?

Gina

19/5/2022 10:14:11 pm

I'm horrified to learn that the birds I and my partner have come to watch and love during lockdown are facing such risks when they go looking for the food they need to keep themselves and their offspring alive. The killing seems to stem from the attitude that Man is superior to the rest of the inhabitants of this planet, rather than being just one of millions of species who share it and have evolved over time just as we have. "Man's" supposed superiority of intellect should surely carry the obligation to protect, or at least not to interfere with, the right to life of other species (which could manage perfectly well without us - and which display awesome abilities to use without abusing the natural resources on which all life depends!)

Bill Redlin

20/5/2022 08:23:20 pm

I live near a reservoir owned by Yorkshire Water but in which the fishing rights are leased to a local fishing club. I’m wondering whether any water companies allow this to happen on their reservoirs, if so this should be publicised. I would also suggest that 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. Let’s see how local communities react to having their wildlife slaughtered

Irene Leggett

21/5/2022 02:11:19 pm

I've actually been told by a 'fisherman' that some put large drinks bottles with the bottoms cut off(such as coke cola and pepsi) into the water, funnel downwards so the cormorants dive into these bottles and get caught and drown. This is regularly carried out.....once again, 'sporting' people enjoying their fun and entertainment.

21/5/2022 02:25:39 pm

I don't believe you. Plastic bottles would not 'float' vertically and Cormorants swim horizontally underwater to catch their fish, and do not dive from height.

21/5/2022 02:34:33 pm

It is interesting, is it not, that this 'campaign' focuses on species other than Pheasants, Red-legged Partridges and Red Grouse, when >60 million of those species are LEGALLY shot every single year!

Where is your perspective?

Sue Fawcett link

28/5/2022 04:47:14 pm

Like others, I deplore the practice of licencing any bird killing whatsoever. However we have to deal with the reality that we are a long way off zero tolerance of extermination of nature whenever it is deemed inconvenient to human economice activity.
I think the best way to ensure licences are 'policed' is publicity locally, and for a business holder on websites and social media too. Licence holders should be obliged to put up physical and virtual notices in the area ahead of any killing, much like planning notices, which hopefully will attract interest from local people and there is less chance of abuse.
I also think the suggestion of trying to get Mortimer and Whitehouse on board a very good one.

31/5/2022 05:54:37 pm

Here is something which Natural England should be banning: the annual burning of our peat moorland - killing all the ground flora (and fauna which cannot escape) - just so that the landed aristocracy (and Royal Family) can shoot more than half-a-million Red Grouse every year.

This vandalism of our countryside releases hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, yet it is NOT being policed or controlled by Natural England.

See the evidence and sign the petition:

https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/banpeatlandfires?source=EM&subsource=NBRENAPEEM01WG&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Peatland+Fires+Lead+Gen+PE+20220531&utm_term=Full+List

Spurwing Plover

31/5/2023 03:54:16 am

Seems rediculous that they would cull Cormorants who only take few fish while they Fishingboats take up uncounted many more there are ways of doin t hi without the cull like Fixing Dams with fish Ladders and other modifications that work better for all

JASON ENDFIELD

The Cormorant Killers - Time To End 'Uncontrollable Hunting' Of Iconic Birds

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