Cormorant populations have recovered strongly in Britain, creating fishery conflict that has led to lethal control, while the welfare of individual birds depends on fish availability and disturbance pressure.
Cormorant welfare in Britain involves a direct conflict between individual bird welfare and fishery management interests. Lethal control through shooting carries welfare concerns about wounding rates - birds shot but not killed may survive with injuries leading to infection, reduced foraging ability, and prolonged suffering. Non-lethal alternatives are generally welfare-positive and economically viable for most small fisheries where cormorant predation is the primary concern. Disturbance at breeding colonies is a significant welfare risk - adults flushed from nests expose eggs and chicks to weather and predation. The welfare case for prioritising non-lethal management is strong where it is technically feasible, reserving lethal control for situations where alternatives have demonstrably failed.