Goosanders face welfare threats from licensed lethal control on some UK salmon rivers, despite limited evidence that their predation significantly affects salmon population sustainability.
Goosander welfare is threatened by licensed lethal control that has questionable ecological justification. Shooting causes acute welfare harm and, in the case of injured birds that escape, prolonged suffering. The evidence base for goosander culling improving salmon stock status is weak — salmon population dynamics are driven by many factors beyond avian predation. Welfare-positive alternatives — habitat improvement, predator exclusion fencing on key nursery areas — address salmon conservation without welfare harm to goosanders. Reform of the licensing framework to require stronger evidence before lethal control authorisation protects goosander welfare while encouraging evidence-based conservation.