Environmental protection and hunting - Cormorant problem bird? Expert hearing in the Bundestag
Displeased, harassing, letting things run? The well-known cormorant has kept the politics in the Bundestag occupied on a Wednesday. At the request of the CDU/CSU faction, a public hearing took place in the Environmental Committee regarding this matter. Experts discussed how a control of the population can be achieved with what means and legal foundations.
According to experts, dark flying birds can consume nearly half a kilogram of fish per day. The cormorant is a protected species throughout the EU.
Currently, there is no nationwide regulation on dealing with the animals, only regional ordinances. The initiative aims to change this with a so-called cormoran management, as part of the Antrag. Fraktionchef Friedrich Merz and CSU colleague Alexander Dobrindt are among the supporters - the initiative comes from Lake Constance.
The head of the Fisheries Research Institute, Alexander Brinker, pointed out that it has been proven that the cormoran negatively affects the fish stock in Baden-Württemberg. He mentioned the Jagst river, which is one of the three largest tributaries of the Neckar. "There was a strong suspicion that the cormoran feeding was the cause of a poor water quality. The cormorans were driven away. The fish species, especially those that are directly eaten by cormorans, have recovered very quickly and very happily," Brinker said. Within a year, the corresponding general regulation had expired. "The condition was reached within a year and even below the previous level," Brinker added.
Christoph Herrmann from the Marking Center Hiddensee in Güstrow stated that the population cannot be managed. "The cormoran is a migratory bird. Our cormorans are not even here in the German breeding grounds in the winter. They fly away to the west, southwest, to France, to Spain. If you could manipulate something here at the German breeding population, it would have no effect whatsoever for the winter."
Reinhart Sosat from the German Angling and Fishing Association demanded that the cormoran be included in Annex II of the Birds Directive to enable population management. This annex lists species whose hunting is allowed under the respective national laws of the states. Cormoran ordinances do not affect the population, according to Sosat. "We need cormoran management both nationally and internationally. In Baden-Württemberg, only 31% of the fish species are not endangered. The prospects are on a catastrophic level."
- The Bundestag discussed the controversial issue of cormorants, with the CDU/CSU faction pushing for a public hearing in the Environmental Committee.
- The cormorant, a protected species throughout the EU, has been causing concern due to its high consumption of fish, nearly half a kilogram per day.
- Currently, there is no national regulation on managing cormorants, only regional ordinances, such as those in Baden-Württemberg.
- Friedrich Merz and Alexander Dobrindt, leaders of the CDU and CSU factions respectively, are among those advocating for a cormorant management strategy.
- The initiative for this strategy originated at Lake Constance.
- Alexander Brinker, head of the Fisheries Research Institute, argued that cormorants have negatively affected the fish stock in Baden-Württemberg, particularly in the Jagst river.
- Shortly after the cormorants were driven away from the Jagst river, fish species recovered quickly, according to Brinker.
- Christoph Herrmann from the Marking Center Hiddensee in Güstrow stated that managing the cormorant population is difficult due to the bird's migratory nature.
- Reinhart Sosat from the German Angling and Fishing Association suggested including the cormorant in Annex II of the Birds Directive to enable population management.
- Sosat mentioned that in Bavaria, only 31% of fish species are not endangered, and without nationwide and international cormorant management, the prospects are on a catastrophic level.
