Cantons win right to battle Neuchâtel cormorants

More than 500 coromorants regarded as a costly nuisance by commercial fishers are occupying two artificial islands created in Lake Neuchâtel to protect rare species of waterfowl and migratory birds.

Now, cantonal authorities are beginning to take action to discourage the cormorants from nesting on one of the islands after receiving permission from the federal environment department (OFEV) to reduce the population.

The governments of Vaud, Neuchâtel and Fribourg sought the right to tackle the invading birds because they are plundering the nets of more than 40 fishers in all three cantons who derive a livelihood from the lake.

Permission was required because the islands are located off the southeast shore of the lake in the Fanel international bird reserve, which harbours the biggest colony of nesting waterfowl in Switzerland.

OFEV announced on Thursday that it authorized the cantons to take measures to reduce the cormorant population between now and the end of 2011.

“The main problem with the cormorants is that they are eating the fish caught by professional fishermen,” environment department spokesman Adrian Aeschlimann told Swisster.

The fishermen have been complaining for years but until recently there seemed no way to resolve the problem because the birds are nesting in a special wildlife zone.

The cormorant is not a protected species in Switzerland, Aeschlimann said. “They can be hunted  from August 31 to February 1 - except if they’re in a protected area.”

The federal cabinet paved the way for change last May when it amended wildlife legislation to allow for exceptions in cases where there are “conflicts between protected areas and economic interests,” Aeschlimann said.

The 500-hectare Fanel reserve, including the two islands in Lake Neuchâtel, became an internationally protected area in 1991.

The islands were initially created to provide protected habitat for migratory birds such as the common Stern and the black-headed gull.

But they have proved to be more popular with the more common cormorant, attracting 259 of the 389 couples nesting in the lake as of last year, the environment department said.

An estimated two-thirds of these are nesting on the island that lies in the canton of Neuchâtel, Aeschlimann said.

The others are on the other island located in the canton of Bern, which has not yet sought federal permission to deal with the birds.

The other island is of concern because of complaints from fisherman who have reported “remarkable losses”, Aeschlimann said.

A total of 41 fishers earn a living from Lake Neuchâtel - 33 of them full-time, he said.

On average they each suffer an annual loss of 3,500 to 5,000 francs a year from the hungry cormorants, Aeschlimann said.

That’s the equivalent of a month’s lost wages, he said.

With nesting season under way as of last week, cantonal authorities have been given the go-ahead to combat the cormorant population in a variety of ways.

These include pouring oil on newly laid eggs to prevent young chicks from emerging.

(The oil prevents air from getting inside the egg and the embryonic chicks suffocate as a result).

The cantons will also be able to remove nests built last year and build fences around areas used by cormorants for nesting.

The aim of the fences is to cut off the direct access to the water from the nests that the birds like, Aeschlimann said.

The measures taken have to respect other birds and wildlife in the Fanel reserve, he said.

It may be that the cormorants, who are also noted for nesting in trees, will respond by relocating to other areas, Aeschlimann acknowledged.

The cantons will be required to provide documentation to the federal government about the impact of their efforts to reduce the cormorant population and whether it helps reduce the losses faced by the commercial fishers.