Natural England - Fish-eating birds

Fish-eating birds

Advice and legislation relating to the management and control of fish-eating birds.

Cormorants

Legal status

This section describes the management and licensing arrangements for fish-eating birds (e.g. cormorants, herons, goosanders and red-breasted mergansers). Separate licensing arrangements apply to general licence birds, game birds and other birds.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (WCA 1981) provides that all wild birds are protected and cannot be killed or taken except under licence.

Licences may be issued by Wildlife Management and Licensing under section 16(1) of the WCA 1981 to kill or take wild birds where there is no other satisfactory solution for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries or inland waters. They may also be issued in relation to science or education, or for conserving flora (plants) or fauna (animals).

Advice & leaflets - resolving problems involving fish-eating birds

It may be possible to resolve a problem without recourse to a licence. Advisory leaflets are available which describe some of the options. There are also a series of answers to frequently asked questions [398 kB]: (562kb)pdf document which may be of assistance. If you require additional guidance contact us. We will either assist you directly or put you in touch with your local Wildlife Adviser. Advisers can offer more specific guidance to you over the telephone.

There is a new European Cormorant web resource that you may find helpful. The Directorate-General for the Environment under the European Commission announced a new EU Cormorant Platform on their homepageexternal link in December 2011.

How to apply for a licence

If you wish to apply for a licence for fish-eating birds please complete the relevant form:

The forms can be downloaded, then they can either be posted to the address on the form or completed electronically and submitted by e-mail. In urgent cases, applications may be accepted by facsimile. If you are unable to download a form they can be obtained directly from the Wildlife Management and Licensing. There is no charge for this licence or for advice.

Following receipt of your completed application, a Wildlife Adviser may contact you to discuss your case and possibly to arrange a visit to the site where the problem is occurring. The Adviser will assess the situation and provide guidance on the remedial options available.

We aim to process licence applications within 30 working days from date of receipt for fishery cases and 15 days for science, education or conservation cases.

See also, reports on licensed shooting and monitoring of piscivorous bird licences in Defra's Published reportsexternal link

Cormorants

Defra announced on 16 September 2004, new measures to help control the cormorant population which had grown significantly and whose feeding habits are damaging fish stocks and recreational fishing activities. See:

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