Calls for Scotland-wide seagull summit amid warnings someone could be killed

Independent

3 days ago

A Scotland-wide summit to tackle 'deadly' seagulls must be held amid warnings someone could be killed, the Scottish Parliament has heard.
Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who called a debate on the issue at Holyrood, warned that Scots risk losing their lives over the 'growing problem' of 'nuisance' gulls.
Fellow Tory Rachael Hamilton said a nationwide summit must be held to tackle the issue as she warned that Scots are being left 'scared, attacked and traumatised'.
Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie had already promised to hold a seagull summit in the north of Scotland but Ms Hamilton, who represents the south of Scotland, said a summit for the whole country is needed.
The Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP said 'aggressive' seagulls had attacked seven children in one month last year in Eyemouth, with one girl 'left with gashes to her scalp and blood running down her face'.
She called for action on the 'growing nuisance', which she said posed a health and safety risk to residents.
Despite rising complaints from locals, though, she said NatureScot's licensing system to control the birds was bureaucratic and failing to solve the issue.
'I think we need a summit,' she said. 'I don't think we just need a summit in Moray, we need a summit across Scotland.'
Ms Hamilton said the debate was 'important' as she criticised what she said was a lack of action from the Scottish Government.
She told MSPs: 'Absolutely nothing is getting done. I don't believe the Government are listening to us because the issue continues in my constituency in Eyemouth.
'Aggressive seagull behaviour continues to cause a real concern amongst businesses, amongst tourists, amongst everybody that has anything to do along the harbour.
'And it is not just a seasonal nuisance. It is a serious, growing health risk. It's a safety risk, particularly for children and elderly residents.'
She said one business owner had described the situation as 'people being scared, attacked and traumatised'.
MSPs debated the issue on Thursday, the last day of Parliament before the summer recess.
Opening the debate, Mr Ross said people often 'smirk' when hearing that the Scottish Parliament is debating the problems around gulls – but he said it was an 'extremely serious issue'.
The Highlands and Islands MSP said constituents have told him they are worried about leaving their homes for fear of being 'divebombed', while others have suffered mental health issues thanks to a lack of sleep caused by noisy gulls.
One resident, he said, is spending £2,000 a year to remove nests from her home.
'People should not have to keep living in fear of being divebombed by these menaces on a daily basis, and are crying out for action,' he said.
He accused NatureScot of having a conflict of interest as the body responsible for both the licensing to control birds and to conserve them.
He went on: 'The behaviour of the SNP's quango NatureScot confirms they have lost the plot. They have told people to protect themselves with umbrellas and even suggested dogs as a deterrent.
'The time has come to break up NatureScot. There is a clear conflict of interest in the fact they are responsible for considering licences to control gulls but are also responsible for protecting bird numbers.
'If the minister cannot see that is a problem, then he is divorced from reality.
'The strength of the cross-party support in my debate today should be all the SNP Government need to finally act before we see someone killed due to being attacked by a gull.'
Jim Fairlie, the minister for agriculture, said while people often 'chuckle and laugh' about the issue of gulls, he warned it was 'deadly serious'.
But he told MSPs that he could not intervene on NatureScot to change the licensing system because it would leave the Government open to judicial review.
He urged people to stop feeding the birds, which he said was the primary reason for the issue.
The birds have been an increasingly common site in urban areas as they leave their natural habitat in search of food.
He said: 'We have to work out what it is that is causing the issue in the first place.
'We are feeding them – it is quite simple. We are creating habitat, and we are creating feeding stations which are allowing gulls to inhabit our space, and that is now quite clearly coming into conflict.'
He added: 'We have got to try and limit food waste and public littering. We have got to take away these feeding opportunities.'
SNP MSP Christine Grahame warned against 'demonising' gulls, which she described as 'clever, adaptable' animals.
'Language such as 'mugging', 'menace' can be applied to us, our fellow counterparts,' she said, 'but it is not appropriate to demonise an animal simply looking for food.
'Anthropomorphising is tempting but not helpful.'
A NatureScot spokesperson said: 'We understand gulls can sometimes cause problems in our towns and cities.
'At the same time, gull populations are facing serious declines. NatureScot has a duty to balance health and safety concerns with gull conservation.
'Over the last five years we have supported many individuals, businesses and communities to better manage gulls without the need to kill the birds or destroy their nests.
'As a result, the number of licence applications to destroy nests and eggs and kill chicks has reduced, from 2,633 in 2023 to 1,601 in 2024.'
The spokesperson said in the longer term, Scots will 'need to find ways to live with gulls and other wildlife'.
They added: 'We will continue to work with local authorities to ensure that collaborative gull management plans are put in place for future years, with a focus on effective preventative measures, deterrents, changes to behaviour and guidance.'