With the support of six other EU countries (Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic), Sweden is going to be calling for tighter cormorant management when European ministers on the Agriculture and Fisheries Council come together for their next meeting on Monday, 22 September. These countries believe that predation by these birds poses a serious threat to fish stocks and the balance of aquatic ecosystems (see EUROPE 13669/12).
Cormorants, whose population has risen sharply in Europe, are being blamed for their impact on fish stocks. In a note dated 17 September, the countries explain that according to the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), these birds consume more than 300 million kilos of fish every year, affecting rivers, lakes, coastal areas, and even aquaculture farms (https://aeur.eu/f/ihf ).
For these states, this situation is jeopardising decades of effort and investment that have been put into restoring natural habitats and water quality.
During a conference organised by the Polish Presidency of the Council in June, a draft European Management Plan for the Great Cormorant was presented.
The delegations criticise the current procedures for derogations from the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), which have been deemed too complex and ineffective for regulating an abundant species. They are asking the European Commission to include the cormorant in Annex II of the directive so as to classify it as a huntable species and to implement a common management strategy at the EU level so as to harmonise actions and limit economic and ecological impacts. Some countries might oppose this measure, fearing that existing protections would be weakened. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)