GULL INVASION FEARS AS NATURE QUANGO PREVENTS THEM BEING CULLED

Business leaders fear there will be an explosion in the number of seagulls this year after a Scottish quango rejected hundreds of applications to destroy town and city-centre nests. 

Several business groups from across the north-east have banded together and launched a campaign to get NatureScot to understand they are applying to destroy nests for health and safety reasons.

However, the environmental agency says there has been a ‘significant and serious’ decline in all gull populations north of the Border.

It is illegal to capture, injure or destroy any wild bird in Scotland, or interfere with nests or eggs but licences are granted each year to get rid of hundreds of gull nests in areas where the birds are particularly troublesome. However, figures show the agency has severely restricted the operations to destroy gulls’ nests with the number of licences granted halved in some areas.

In total, some 1,595 permits to demolish nests in 2021 to ‘preserve public health or safety’ were approved with no applications turned down.

The figure rose to 2,090 by 2023 with 63 rejections. But by June 13 this year the number of granted licences sat at just 1,089 with a record 572 rejections.

Highland Council area has seen 161 licences rejected and 225 approved so far this year. In Moray, the figures are 69 and 179 respectively and in Aberdeenshire 52 and 158.

The rejections came after NatureScot changed its guidance earlier this year saying applications should not be made until the birds are nesting.

But critics say it took the conservation body so long to process the forms chicks had time to hatch rendering the nests untouchable.

Lucy Harding, manager of Nairn Business Improvement District, said: ‘Seagull management is really important from a health and safety point of view. The dangers of the seagulls are not to be underestimated.

‘There have been cases in Nairn of seagulls swooping and injuring people and pupils at one of the local primary schools cannot have snacks outside due to the risks of seagulls attacking them. 

‘Nairn BID is now working with relevant bodies to look at further methods of prevention and control for next year.’

NatureScot said its role was to ‘balance the conservation and protection of species with public interests’ and added the organisation had been forced to act because of the dwindling gull populations.

A spokesman added: ‘Earlier this year we updated our guidance for gull licensing in response to significant and serious declines in gull populations.

‘The latest Seabirds Count census shows that all five species of gull that breed in Scotland continue to decline, with numbers down by between 44 per cent and 75 per cent depending on species.

‘That’s why we clarified our guidance to ensure applicants were aware that licences can only be issued for reasons of clear public health and safety issues, and where other alternatives are not effective.

‘We know that gulls can sometimes cause issues in our towns and cities and that these changes have caused concern for some people. ‘ 

Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We and other northern BIDs (Inverness, Nairn and Elgin) had recent dialogue with NatureScot on the change regarding applying for a licence only once the birds are nesting.

“We asked for these talks after we found licence applications were being rejected on these grounds. We raised the real concern that the wait time for a decision could mean chicks would have hatched and the nests would have to remain untouched.

“NatureScot listened and compromised, reverting to previous guidance for this year to allow for proper engagement before next year’s breeding season.

“However, due to the delay during that consultation we project we will be just over 50% successful in our objective for managing the population compared to previous years, which is slightly disappointing.

“We do respect NatureScot’s position that overall gull numbers have diminished recently in Scotland and they need to be protected

“But let us be clear, the dangers and health hazards from inner city gull populations are a very real issue for many of our businesses and the wider public.

“The experience here in Aberdeen is that an abundance of gulls in our city centre not only cause mess which is a health hazard but has been known to cause a danger to the wider public through aggressive behaviour, including direct attacks on people.

“We are naturally keen to continue with our joint programme to manage gull numbers in the city centre and ideally cause the birds to return to their natural habitat at the beach. Aberdeen Inspired will continue to work closely with NatureScot moving forward regarding any changes to their process for gull applications.”

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2024-07-14T18:21:47Z