Licence to kill

IN THE struggle for existence, the feathered creatures are losing out to thedenizens 6f the deep. Every year,Scotland carries out licenced. killing of atleast a thousand wild birds to savesalmons. Conservationists claim thatthere is no scientific justification for thecull. The Scottish Office (so) is underfire for obliging fisherfolk by permittingmore birds to be shot than in Englandand Wales. The so fisheries departmenthas issued 568 licences to fishing organisations to kill 4,946 goosanders, 3,730mergansers and 4,420 cormorants overthe past 13 years. "There is no proof thatthese birds do serious damage to fishstocks," said Ray Murray, president ofthe Scottish Ornithologists' Club.

The Royal Society for the Protectionof Birds (RSPB) has accused the so ofholding back scientific evidence on which it decides to grant applicationsfor licences. "We fundamentallyquestion whether this is justified," saidIan McCall from the RSPB in Scotland.The so dismissed the charges made byornithologists, saying that licences wereissued "to prevent serious damage tofisheries".