21/03/2019
A study
of two fish-eating bird species – Great
Cormorant and Goosander –
is being undertaken along the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, following a
drop in the number of salmon in the waterway. Individuals of both species
will be killed so that they can be studied, with researchers hoping to
understand exactly what they eat and how they affect fish stocks. The RSPB was
not informed of the cull, which the organisation hasn't approved. The study
has been licensed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and will be undertaken by
the River Tweed Commission.
The Tweed
is one of four major rivers undergoing a study of what types of fish Great
Cormorants and Goosanders eat at different times of the year. Fishing on the
Tweed is estimated to contribute approximately £24 million each year
to the local economy, and the two species in question have been targeted
by parts of the angling fraternity in recent years, with The Angling Trust last
year publicly urging fisheries and fishing clubs
to submit more applications for licences to cull Goosander and Great Cormorant
across Britain.
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