Let’s save the cormorants! Sign this petition against Piedmont’s selective culling decision

In Piedmont the protection of cormorants has become a priority battle for numerous environmental and animal rights associations who, gathered in the Animals & Environment Table, have launched a petition on Change.org.

The goal is stop selective culling policies of these birds, a species protected by the Birds Directive 79/409/EEC, and promote sustainable management methods that do not threaten their population.

The petition has already collected almost 13,000 signatures on a total of 15,000 requests, showing broad public participation and appeals to the regional authorities, including President Alberto Cirio and the Councilor for the Environment Matteo Marnati, to intervene in defense of biodiversity.

Cormorants are unfairly held responsible for the reduction of fish species

The presence of cormorants in Piedmont has changed over time: until the 1980s they were only there in some migratory periodstoday, thanks to climate change and the greater availability of fish species on site, they are present all year round.

This led to some conflicts with the fishing sectorbut environmentalists point out that the impact of cormorants is often overestimated compared to real environmental problems, such as the high eutrophication of water, which leads to a proliferation of algae and river pollution.

A significant example is the Lake Viveronewhere the mayor had asked for the culling of cormorants due to the alleged reduction in fish species. However the waters of the lake are eutrophicated and polluted. These circumstances negatively affect fish, making them more vulnerable and therefore easier prey for cormorants, which act by selecting the weakest species. The associations argue that these difficulties, which in addition to being ethically controversial, are not effective in the long term.

The associations therefore ask for a management plan that includes bloodless methods, such as the installation of suspended nets to protect fish, visual barriers with reflective strips and other measures to discourage cormorants without harming them. Some proposed solutions include, for example, modifying the buoys, which these birds use as perches after diving, making them less accessible to encourage the birds to roost elsewhere.

A greater commitment towards one is therefore necessary sustainable management of local biodiversityremembering that the cormorant and that there are more ethical and effective alternative solutions. You can also sign the petition here because no culling is the right solution.