Add fish-eating birds to Schedule 2.1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Amend Schedule 2.1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to list cormorants, goosanders and red-breasted mergansers that they may be managed, enabling proportionate control to protect inland fisheries and migratory fish populations where serious damage is evidenced.

Evidence points to Atlantic salmon being at crisis point — around 90% of principal salmon rivers in England are now classified as at risk, and declared catches are at their lowest since records began. Millions invested in river restoration are being undermined by predation. Course fisheries are also under threat.

We believe Natural England licensing is too slow for fisheries managers to respond effectively. Adding these species to Schedule 2.1 will in our view enable targeted, evidence-based management to protect inland fish stocks.

The government consulted on proposed changes to Part 1, Schedule 2 (2.1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 earlier this year. Although all wild birds are protected under the Act, Schedule 2.1 provides limited exemptions that allow those species listed on it to be shot outside their close season, mainly for recreational shooting and harvesting.

Schedule 2.1 currently lists 19 species of wild birds in England and Wales and 23 species in Scotland, mainly ducks, geese and wading birds. The consultation closed in May.

Defra and Natural England previously carried out a review of Schedule 2.1 in England to ensure that shooting certain species of wild birds is sustainable and does not undermine their recovery. Similar reviews were carried out by NatureScot on behalf of the Scottish Government and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Following the conclusions of the reviews, Ministers largely agreed with various evidence-based recommendations set out in them, for example to extend the close season for woodcock, and remove pochard from Schedule 2.1.

The views of the public were sought on these proposed changes. Consultees were also asked for suggestions as to whether further changes should be made, either adding other species to Schedule 2.1, removing species from the schedule, or amending the dates of close seasons. The government did receive proposals to add cormorants, goosanders and red-breasted mergansers to Schedule 2.1 so they can be more easily controlled for the purpose of protecting inland fisheries and migratory fish populations. These proposals, and any evidence provided to support them, are now being analysed and considered together with the many other different suggestions from the public that the consultation elicited.