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Inverness
Thursday, February 13, 2025

Inverness Gull Issue

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Local councillor Micheal Gregson had this to say on the problem:

I consider the gull problem a serious one, and am dedicated to working with others to help improve the situation.

Through the year, and particularly in the busiest spring and summer months, the gulls have been a menace.

Many people of all ages, and businesses, have been negatively impacted by what is a large and often aggressive gull population.

It is essential that an effective action plan is put in place.

The revised NatureScot guidance of 2024 has reduced egg and nest removal to only 10% of the 2023 figure.

That agency’s new approach is specifically designed to reduce licence applications for egg/ nest removal, by deeming ‘divebombing’ incidents, and most gull behaviours as merely ‘nuisance’ under the terms of the 1981 Town and Countryside Act.

The NatureScot aspiration is to adopt an ‘area, plan-based, collaborative’ approach.’

The reality is that, from the 2024 experience, most licence applications this year would be refused.

We are at the mercy of NatureScot, who advise us that there have been serious population declines in Herring Gulls (down 44%), Common Gulls (down 53%), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (down 48%, Great Black-back Gull (down 63%), and Black-headed Gulls (down 75%).

Avian Influenza is also impacting these, and other, species.

In this context, “preventative, non-lethal measures” designed to move our opportunist city centre bird populations elsewhere, are requested, and we have been given the clear statement by NatureScot that “licences can only be issued for reasons of clear public health and safety issues, and where other alternatives are not effective.”

So, in not supporting the first three items (those associated with egg/ nest removal) in the proposed Inverness BID scheme, I am prioritising these measures, as NatureScot guidance recommends:

  • Hawking – use of a falcon bird of prey
  • A Lasering Bird Disturbance Programme, alongside a Human Disturbance Programme
  • A ‘Do NOT Feed the Gulls’ Campaign via Media Channels
  • Premises Guidance regarding activity required post-season
  • Rotation of Bird Spiders and Reflect a Bird devices
  • Census and Mapping via Drone and Survey
  • Strategic collaborative work building and developing the Plan-based approach
  • Maintenance of the ‘Gull Incidents in Inverness City Centre’ Reporting Portal for businesses and the public to capture evidence of impact

This revised plan accedes to the NatureScot advice, and substantially supports the BID proposal.

It also saves the Common Good Fund £12,025 in the year April 2025-March 2026.

I am hopeful that we will see an improvement in the situation which has been a major disturbance and negative impact in our City Centre and beyond.

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