Cormorant Welfare and Conflict: Managing a Conservation Success Story

Cormorants recovered well after persecution, but now face culling pressure from fisheries interests. The welfare dimension of this conflict deserves careful consideration.

Key Facts

UK cormorant populations recovered from around 5,000 breeding pairs in 1970 to over 20,000 today
Licences are issued each year for shooting cormorants near fish farms and angling waters
Cormorants are colonial nesters and colonies are highly sensitive to human disturbance
They can dive to 45 metres and hold their breath for over a minute
Oiling of plumage is a major welfare issue as they lack the full waterproofing of other diving birds
Young cormorants have high mortality in their first year even without human persecution

Welfare Considerations

Cormorant welfare sits at the intersection of conservation success and economic conflict. Where shooting licences are granted, welfare standards vary considerably - wounded birds that are not retrieved suffer slow deaths. Colony disturbance during breeding causes nest abandonment, chick death, and significant reproductive stress. The scientific evidence that cormorant populations significantly damage angling is contested. A precautionary welfare approach suggests minimising shooting and focusing on non-lethal deterrents where possible.

What You Can Do

Support review of cormorant shooting licence criteria to require stronger evidence
Advocate for non-lethal deterrent methods as the first resort for fisheries management
Report illegal disturbance of cormorant colonies to police wildlife crime units
Donate to waterbird rehabilitation organisations that treat shot and injured cormorants
Engage with angling organisations to find collaborative approaches to fisheries management