John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 629: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there are regulations governing the control and culling of cormorants to protect fish stocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13998/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The cormorant, like all wild birds, is a protected species under the Wildlife Acts and the EU Birds Directive. In 2002 the estimated population in the State was 4,550 pairs. As a protected species it cannot be controlled or culled except under licence from my Department. Section 42 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 allows the scaring, capturing or killing of cormorants in instances where serious damage is being caused to other fauna and/or a fishery. Applications are considered on an individual basis and my Department takes into account a number of factors in considering such applications.

For example, licence applications to control cormorant damage during the annual smolt migration of salmon and sea trout are assessed individually, entail a site visit by my Department and, based on the assessment, a licence may be issued. Licences to control cormorants at breeding colonies or communal night roosts are refused. Control should always be at the site of alleged damage rather than the nearest breeding colony or night roost. Blanket licences to control cormorant damage over large areas are also refused. However, licences for serious damage control at specific sites (e.g. point of release of reared fish) are considered for a specific time period and geographical area.

Cormorant damage to hatcheries, fish farms, freshwater and marine rearing cages can often be prevented by exclusion netting/wires or pond design and my Department requests that all possible precautions to prevent serious damage be implemented prior to consideration of a control licence.

All licences issued by my Department stipulate the mode of control, the geographical area covered and the time period for which the licence is valid. An annual return of the number of cormorants shot or wounded is required to be forwarded to my Department.