Europe debates cormorant impact on fisheries

Nine European countries within the European Union are calling for a relaxation of the rules protecting cormorants (the great water crow), due to the significant losses they cause to the fishing industry and the depletion of fish stocks. Reports indicate that the increasing numbers of these birds, which recovered from near-extinction thanks to legal protection since 1979, are contributing to the decline of fish populations, as their large flocks wipe out substantial quantities during winter and cause environmental and economic damage. Fishers are demanding measures such as oiling bird eggs or shooting them in certain areas to reduce their numbers, while environmental conservationists oppose these methods and suggest designating sensitive zones to protect fish stocks, reducing human intervention to restore ecological balance. Experts point out that the cormorant population, which has reached around two million birds across Europe, has grown due to the decline of natural predators following overhunting and a decrease in predatory fish, complicating efforts to control their numbers.

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