Title: Fish-eating birds : assessing their impact on freshwater fisheries
Author: M. Marquiss
Author: D.N. Carss
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: EA additional title info: fish-eating birds - assessing their impact on freshwater fisheries
Abstract:
In Britain and elsewhere, fish eating birds, particularly cormorants and sawbill ducks, are widely believed to affect fisheries, reducing the abundance of fish or changing their behaviour so as to reduce harvest or angling catches. These birds are protected by law, but with provision for the issue of licences to kill them to prevent serious damage to fisheries. There is considerable debate as to whether these birds damage
fisheries, and whether licensed killing effectively prevents serious damage. The National Rivers Authority has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop fisheries, and also to further conservation, on the waterways of England and Wales. Whilst the NRA is aware of the concerns of fisheries interests, full consideration of all the available evidence is needed when the NRA is asked to comment upon applications for licensed killing. The NRA therefore commissioned the present work to review the existing information on the status of these birds, their impacts on fisheries and the effectiveness of management procedures to control bird predation on fish populations. The present study also discusses criteria for serious damage to fisheries, evaluates the current NRA position statement and suggests future action with regard to policy and research.
Publisher: National Rivers Authority
Publication Date: 1994
Publication Place: Bristol
Subject Keywords: Fisheries; Licences; National Rivers Authority; Birds; Animal population
Geographic Keywords: United Kingdom
Extent: 15
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:3986
Total file downloads: 334
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