WRITTEN QUESTION E-0238/97 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (7 February 1997)

Subject: Controlling the cormorant population of the wetlands of Oristano (Italy)

The wetlands in the Oristano area are of great economic value and are considered to be of such international naturalistic interest that they are included in the Ramsar Convention, in view of the numbers of bird species found there in the various months of the year. In particular there are 16 000 cormorants (according to the IVRAM census of 1995). In the area a considerable number of damaging public works are being carried out (some of them funded by the EU), large amounts of untreated urban waste are discharged and chemicals used in agriculture are washed into the wetlands by rainwater. This pollution is upsetting the environmental balance and causing a drastic reduction in the number of fish.

Fishermen are complaining that fish worth billions of Lire are being lost and they blame the cormorant population. The Region of Sardinia has accepted this theory (as a result of pressure from fishermen and certain local authorities) and has issued a decree authorizing the killing of cormorants. Between 4 000 and 5 000 birds were killed under the 'supervision' of the IFS (the National Wildlife Institute) and the Forestry Service in 1995 and the slaughter has been 'limited' to around 600 birds in 1996. These decrees by the Regional authorities allow the shooting of cormorants in the open hunting season in all the wetlands of Oristano, even those where there are protected species, which means that migratory species may suffer. Furthermore, the cormorants in the Sardinian wetlands themselves count as migratory species.

Does the Commission not consider that it would be more effective to take measures to reduce the environmental damage suffered by the Oristano wetlands by setting up a protected area, reducing the amount of building work carried out, diverting the polluting effluent, etc.?

Does it not consider the slaughter of such a large number of migratory birds to be a contravention of the European directives on the conservation of wildlife (Directives 79/409/EEC ((OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1. )) and 91/244/EEC ((OJ L 115, 8.5.1991, p. 41. )) and subsequent amendments) and the conservation of wetlands?

Supplementary answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (30 May 1997)

Further to its answer on 28 February 1997 ((OJ C 138, 5.5.1997. )), the Commission is now in a position to provide the following information.

According to information received from the Italian authorities, the primary objective of the measures taken in the province of Oristano was to reduce the damage to local fisheries. This was to be achieved through disturbance combined with killing of birds to a limited extent. The authorities have informed the Commission that the number of cormorants killed has been limited to 518 birds during the season 1995/1996. This derogation according to Article 9 of Directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds will according to normal practice be examined by the Commission. Further the annual reports are received from the Member States concerned.

Furthermore, since 1995 the Commission has given financial support to a Life-Nature project in the area of the Cabras wetland in the province of Oristano. This area is a classified special protection area under the terms of Directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds. The Life-Nature project targets a series of threats affecting the conservation status of this wetlands and its birdlife. One of the objectives is to evaluate specific control measures for cormorant populations in accordance with the conservation requirements. This Life-Nature project involving both conservationsists and fishermen, could serve as a model for the management of other wetlands in the province of Oristano.