Killing fish-eating birds to prevent damage to still water fisheries
What to do if fish-eating birds are seriously damaging your still water fishery.
Serious damage has significant social or economic consequences. Serious damage does not include:
- nuisance
- minor damage
- normal business risk
Use non-lethal methods
You must try non-lethal methods to resolve your problem. You must do this before you consider applying for a bird licence.
Non-lethal methods can include:
- using wires or ropes above the water to deter birds from landing
- creating fish refuges under the water using cages with netting to protect fish against predators such as cormorants
- avoiding stocking fish when most fish-eating birds are present (generally between November and February)
- encouraging cover over the water by planting reeds or lily pads, or leaving fallen trees in the water
Find more alternatives to lethally controlling wild birds.
Apply for a licence
If you want to kill fish-eating birds because you have tried non-lethal methods and they have not prevented serious damage to your still water fishery, you must apply to us for specific bird licence.
We can issue licences between, and including, 1 October to 17 March.
We licence lethal control of fish-eating birds only as an aid to your non-lethal control techniques. It is not a cull to reduce overall population size.
Who can apply
?
Information we need
We will ask you to give the following information in your application form:
- the lead licensee's name and contact details
- address and six digit grid reference for the still water
- a description of the problem (under 500 words)
- evidence of serious damage to the still water fishery, for example:
- loss of income
- details of recorded losses
- catch records
- bird damage reports
- costs of replacing stock
- ticket or membership losses
- what non-lethal methods you used, when you used them and how effective they were
- why you did not use other non-lethal methods
Documents you must upload
How long it takes
We will respond to you within 40 days of receiving a complete application.
How much it costs
We do not charge for this type of licence application.
Start your application