Hold ‘gull summit' before birds kill someone, Scottish Tories say
The Scottish Tories have called for a summit on gulls before one of the birds kills somebody.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said a nationwide discussion must be held, with Scots left ' scared, attacked and traumatised '.
Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands agreed the birds were a growing problem and suggested it was only a matter of time ' before we see someone killed due to being attacked by a gull'.
It follows reports of people in Moray being dive-bombed by gulls. In one case, an elderly woman broke her leg in a gull attack.
Mr Ross highlighted 'bizarre' advice from the NatureScot watchdog advising people to patrol potential nesting areas before the birds settle in.
He accused the watchdog of failing to protect coastal communities and said the quango – which has dual responsibility for issuing control licences and protecting bird numbers – had 'lost the plot.'
Mr Ross added: 'The time has come to breakup 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.'
The row follows a cross-party debate on urban gulls in Holyrood on Thursday.
Jim Fairlie, the agriculture minister, said he sympathised with communities that suffer from aggressive gulls and said removing food sources was 'the most effective route to avoiding issues'.
He added: 'In cases where it is justified, NatureScot provides licences for control when public health and safety is at risk. In the UK and Europe gulls are protected by law, with their overall numbers declining, so lethal measures must be a last resort.'
Mr Ross said: '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.'
People living in the coastal town of Nairn are among those who believe more action is needed to tackle the birds.
Caroline Mackay, who has lived in Nairn for almost 50 years, told BBC Scotland: 'I know they are part of living beside the sea, and I accept that, but they are quite a danger.'
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