Greenland White-fronted Goose gets hunting reprieve

05/12/2018

The UK and Welsh governments have decided to remove Greenland White-fronted Goose from the list of legal quarry during the open season.

The decision, which has been welcomed by conservation charities such as the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), will ensure that the declining subspecies can no longer be hunted across England and Wales.

Greenland White-fronted Goose breeds in the coastal fringe of west Greenland and winters exclusively in Britain and Ireland, with the largest numbers found in Co Wexford and on Islay, Argyll. The rest of the population is mainly concentrated at regular wintering haunts across western Scotland and north-western and western Ireland. Annual counts show that the population wintering in Britain and Ireland has dropped by a third in the last decade, with only around 20,000 expected this winter, and consequently it is of the highest conservation concern among the UK's geese, being afforded Red status.

Wales and England were the only countries left on the goose's migration route that still allowed them to be hunted – a ban is already in place in Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and all of Ireland.

Continued  

RSPB tags rare geese at Ynyshir reserve due to decline

By Steffan Messenger BBC Wales Environment Correspondent

16 January 2017

Electronic tags have been fitted to one of Europe's rarest birds to understand its dramatic decline at a Powys reserve.

The RSPB estimates the population of Greenland white-fronted geese at Ynyshir has fallen by 83% since 1990.

The research project is being funded by Welsh Government.

It comes after a decision by ministers in August not to implement an outright ban on shooting the rare birds caused controversy.

Their movements will be monitored in real time, helping the charity and other partners to understand their needs and put conservation measures in place.

It is hoped the scheme will contribute towards international efforts to boost numbers of the threatened species.

The global population of Greenland white-fronted geese is estimated to be 18,879 - the lowest recorded since spring 1985 - and a marked decline on the last estimate of 20,797 in spring 2014. 

The birds, which breed in Greenland, migrate in spring and autumn through south and west Iceland to wintering grounds in the British Isles.

The majority head for Ireland and western Scotland.

Continued

Wales' bird shooting approach criticised by charity

A law which allows anglers to shoot birds that have a serious impact on fisheries could lead to a long-term decline of some species, a charity warns.

The Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS) says the Welsh government has no proof cormorants and goosanders are detrimental to fish stocks.

It has written to the natural resources minister urging a policy change.

The Welsh government said only those with a licence could shoot the birds.

The society's president, naturalist Iolo Williams, said: "In licensing the killing of birds just because they eat fish, it has no evidence of serious damage nor of the impact of shooting on the birds' populations.

"In both cases the Welsh government is probably in breach of the law and international conservation agreements. It is about time it took its conservation duties seriously."

The charity also wants the Welsh government to give legal protection to the Greenland white-fronted goose.

The rare breed winters only in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, but Wales is the only place it is not protected from shooting.

Continued ...