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Birds killed in Gill Nets - Liverpool Bay (1 Viewer)

Jane Turner

Jane Turner

Well-known member
Yesterday 2 dead Red-throated Divers and 3 dead Guillemots were found dead on the beach off Hoylake next to a large number of filleted and semi-filleted Flounder/Dab carcasses. There were at least 4 tethered gill nets in the intertidal zone and buggy tracks leading back to a slipway on the mainland.

Today the nets had been relocated and contained a weakened Herring Gull which would have drowned had it not been rescued a few minutes before the flooding tide.

The site is a RAMSAR and SPA site. RSPCA, RSPB and IWFC (Inshore waters Fishery and Conservation) have been informed. Anyone got a clue on the legal status of this?
 

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Just had a look at the River Dee Site Improvement Plan published by Natural England. It is clear that there are some licensed commercial fisheries permitted to operate within the Dee estuary SPA, and possibly within the Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore SPA which I presume is where the nets you saw were located.

Even if it is legitimate (which leaving fish discards on the beach suggests may not be the case), its good that IWFC are being informed of the seabird deaths - it may also be worth letting Natural England know, as the body responsible for the SPAs and North Wirral Foreshire SSSI.
 
Thanks. IWFC have been in touch and are reviewing the situation.

IWFC said:
First of all can I thank you for bringing this to our attention; we do take issues like this seriously and work closely with Natural England and the RSPB – both of whom have representatives on our Authority – to ensure that fisheries in the NWIFCA District are managed and operated without risk to conservation features of the many designated sites.



We are investigating the issue from two points of view. Whether or not the net is legal under byelaws (copy attached) and technical regulations, and whether or not it is having an impact on the bird species
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There were the heads of Bass next to the next yesterday - which is illegal.
 
Tell everyone who you think might be relevant (MMO or in this case, yes, perhaps the IWFC?), yes, Natural England and even the Police (especially if you can directly witness any dead birds being handled).

Half the time they all do their own monitoring of situations and don't tell each other.
 
Police were a waste of space - there is no longer a wildlife protection officer in Merseyside. RSPCA took 3 days to make contact - by which time the gull was rehydrated and back at sea

RSPB and IWFC are on the case
 
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