Several MEPs of the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries called, on Monday 29 November, for EU measures, such as regional management plans, to tackle the problem of proliferating cormorant populations.
These birds, by consuming large quantities of fish, cause losses to the European aquaculture and fisheries sector.
The European Commission representative explained that making the cormorant “huntable”’ (by changing the species’ annex under the Birds and Habitats Directives) would not solve the problem. The representative called for local action and preventive measures.
Peter van Dalen (EPP, Netherlands), Predrag Matić (S&D, Croatia), Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR, Netherlands) and François-Xavier Bellamy (EPP, France) stressed the need for action to deal with the growing number of cormorants. The population has increased 12-fold, according to Mr van Dalen, and even 20-fold (2 million birds), according to Mr Bellamy.
Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, France) criticised calls to kill cormorants and recalled that the Birds Directive allows EU countries to derogate from strict protection of the species. In addition, EU aid exists to fund equipment to protect against these birds, as well as compensation for affected fishermen, Ms Roose said. The cormorant is a protected species under the Birds Directive. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)