From Michael Dryden, chairman, Ornithology Section, Société Jersiaise.
THE suggestion that cormorants, a naturally occurring and endangered species, should be culled in order to protect fish which have been introduced for sporting reasons in the Island is ridiculous.

I presume that there is an agenda here, to force the situation regarding finding a location for a fish farm, to produce more fish to introduce.

Either way though, there should not be even a moment’s serious consideration for punishing cormorants for wishing to stay alive, as they have done since long before man decided to start fishing. It does demonstrate the arrogance of man that we would even suggest such a thing, just because it is spoiling our pleasure that these birds should have the effrontery to do such a thing.

In the article (JEP, 1 November) a Jersey Freshwater Angling Association spokesman says, ‘If you look at the ecological damage that’s being done …’ I presume that by this he is referring to the introduction of non-naturally occurring species of fish which then eat the ponds dry of such things as dragonfly larvae, one of the reasons why so few dragonflies are to be seen on the wing in the Island these days, but I suspect not!

It should be stated that the largest body of freshwater in Jersey is St Ouen’s Pond, which is owned by the National Trust for Jersey and to which fishermen are allowed access by them. I would hope that it is safe to say that the National Trust would never allow shooting over this nature reserve.

Over the last three years, a population crash has occurred among our locally breeding shag population (the shag being a marine species of cormorant). This is almost certainly due to these birds starving because the fish upon which they feed at sea are simply not available in sufficient quantities. This a result of global warming and over-fishing of our seas, both problems created or exacerbated by man.

Our breeding cormorant population, which, by the way, failed to produce a single chick this year because of their nests being washed out in the March storm, avoid this scenario by being willing and able to feed on freshwater, where shags will not. Would it be wise to ‘pull the rug from under their feet’ with a cull, when they are already struggling? I think not.
Please, can we have an end to this nonsense?
7 Pier Road,
St Helier.