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Hugh Miles hits back at RSPB's magazine article on Cormorants

Garry Lee said:
Though you might be interested in this from the latest Angling Trust Newscast

Hugh Miles hits back at RSPB magazine article
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By sheer chance I visited a local trout reservoir over the last couple of days. There were two cormorants pillaging fish stocks by the boat pontoon. I have never been so close to cormorants as usually they keep their distance. These birds literally caught a minnow sized fish every dive, every few seconds. They weren't trout and I strongly suspect that they were small perch about 3 or 4" long. I would dread to think just how many fish were taken over those two days alone, I don't think it an exaggeration to say I suspect that it might easily be somewhere between 100 and 200 during the time I was watching which were only two hour periods on each of the two days, that's up to 100 each bird, and possibly 50 a day. Cormorants eat 500g of fish a day. It's scary to think that this is happening every day at that reservoir. It's little wonder that a water can be cleared in double short time and by very few birds.Our waters just can't sustain this predation. This is pillaging of fish stocks on a grand scale. I just wouldn't have believed the numbers unless I'd seen it with my own eyes. Severn Trent own the reservoir and will not allow any action to be taken. Great.
 
Colin Dapp said:
If people stopped fishing there they might?
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Severn Trent won't care that much. They lease the fishing rights which probably doesn't bring in a staggering amount of income. Whether there's fish in the reservoir or not, I doubt they'd lose much sleep over it.

I always knew that cormorants damaged fish stocks, but what I witnessed was an absolute shock. Anyone who had doubts about these birds' ability to cause carnage should see them in action, as I did. They are killing machines. I don't wish to sound over-dramatic but unless action is taken quickly, the damage caused will be irretrievable. Consequently, I have written to my M.P. to have these birds put on a general shooting licence. I suggest that anyone reading this, and who hasn't written to their M.P.does so.
 
Seems a bit bizarre to me that a large percentage of these wretched things are not even native ones...they are birds from Europe. Doesn't seem to matter what it is...birds, E.E's or laws, if they come over here from Europe, the wreak havoc :D

Chuck 'em all back where they come from I say....

Cheers, Dave.
 
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