The Scottish Government is being told to consider culling geese to prevent the “catastrophic” spread of bird flu.
A shocking number have already died of suspected bird flu across the north and north-east of Scotland.
Earlier this month there was a massive clean-up operation after a flock of dead birds was discovered on Brora Beach.
In June, gannets washed up at Donmouth Nature Reserve on Aberdeen Beach.
In the same month thousands more birds were found dead in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles, including some of the country’s most remote islands such as Fair Isle and St Kilda.
And in May dozens of birds were found dead at Littleferry and Loch Fleet just south of Golspie.
Other suspected cases have been reported in Angus, Fife, the Borders, Edinburgh and Moray.
Now Rhoda Grant, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, wants to see geese culling introduced in a bid to curb the spread of the disease which is destroying bird populations in the area.
She says the government is not taking the issue seriously enough, and isn’t recognising just how bad the problem could get.
‘It is having a major impact’
Ms Grant said her main concern is bird flu jumping to other species, particularly as geese often mix with farm animals inland.
She said: “It is a pretty major problem, bird populations are being decimated.
“It is having a major impact.
“My concern is about geese numbers because geese are almost seen as a pest in some areas like on farms.
“Farmers are concerned about sea birds like geese bringing bird flu in and then mixing with other farm animals who feed on the same ground.”
Ms Grant has now written to the Scottish Government asking them to consider introducing geese culling to stop the virus spreading.
The Labour MSP added: “It is not being monitored properly, I don’t think enough is being done.
“Given the seriousness of the situation we should be getting information from the government about what it is doing.
“Bird flu is raging at the moment and needs to be closely monitored with tests done on the birds that have died.
“It could be catastrophic.”
Cull not ‘proportionate’
However Environment Minister Mairi McAllan has refused to consider culling the birds to control the spread of the virus.
She said the government doesn’t believe culling wild birds where bird flu is detected is “practical” or “proportionate”.
She said: “Current advice to all keepers of poultry and other captive bird keepers is that the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the avian influenza prevention zone in November 2021, remain in force, as infection continues to circulate in the environment.
“Keepers are advised to maintain scrupulous biosecurity standards and to continue applying such standards as best practice.
“These practices include the cleansing and disinfection of equipment, vehicles and footwear and the storing of feed, water and bedding to minimise the risk of virus contamination from wild birds.”
In the past year a number of licences to shoot geese were suspended over the bird flu spread.
Licences to shoot Svalbard barnacle geese in the Solway Firth were banned in autumn 2021, and licences for Greenland barnacle geese on Islay and Uist in the Hebrides were suspended in February this year.
Ms McAllan added: “NatureScot will review whether similar arrangements are required when geese and other waterfowl populations return to their wintering grounds.
“If culling licences to prevent agricultural damage are suspended in the autumn then alternative support for land managers and owners will be considered.”
What you need to know about Aberdeenshire bird flu outbreaks