Welsh anglers want cull of fish-eating species

More than 2,000 anglers have signed a petition demanding that Great Cormorants and Goosander be culled.

Fishermen claim that the birds are 'devastating' river stocks – and that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) should issue more licences for angling clubs to control numbers of the two species, which are both protected species.

More than 2,000 Welsh anglers signed a petition demanding that Goosander be culled (Tom Hines).

The petition has been gathered by one of Wales's best known fly fishers, Gwilym Hughes, who has represented Wales internationally in angling competitions and suggests the current licence system is "restrictive".

Hughes said: "The problem has existed for a number of years and National Resources Wales hasn't done anything about it. In Wales now, we've smaller rivers and they are eating stocks in the river."

Hughes also came out with the extraordinary claim that Great Cormorant and Goosander were driving declines of Grey Heron and Common Kingfisher, saying: "The reality is, because of the competition now, the kingfishers and herons are suffering. What will happen to them when all the food – all the fishes – are gone?"

NRW says a plan is in place to assess the impact of fish-eating birds and how they are controlled in Wales.