New European plan proposed after the conference on “Management Advice to Reduce Cormorant Predation Impacts.”

credit @ Bence Mate

A new management plan has been announced to curb cormorant impacts on fish farming stocks, wild fish populations and fisheries after the conference on “Management Advice to Reduce Cormorant Predation Impacts”, that took place in Brussels on 3 June, organised by the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC)

EU stakeholders convened to discuss how to best tackle the increasing impact of great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) populations. This event brought together over 230 delegates from 35 countries, representing a diverse array of interests from research institutions, angling, fish farming, environmental policy and conservation.

The key outcome of the conference was the proposal for a framework European management plan for the great cormorant, developed by the EIFAAC in collaboration with FEAP and the European Anglers Alliance (EAA).

This adaptive plan aims to balance the conservation success of the cormorant with the need to protect wild fish stocks and the livelihoods of fishers and fish farmers. A key element of this management plan is its pan-European scope due to the migratory habits of these birds, as actions carried at local level have proven ineffective in the long run.

Read the full press release at https://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail/new-european-plan-aims-to-curb-cormorant-impacts-on-fisheries/en