1. CorMan European Commission funded initiative
Ornis Committee Meeting, Brussels 5 October 2012

2. Thomas Bregnballe, Aarhus University, Denmark &
David N. Carss, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, NERC, UK

3. The initiatives
In response to the Resolution of the European Parliament concerning the impact of Cormorants, the Commission launched two initiatives:
A guidance document on implementation of Article 9
- Comments from the Ornis Committee
- The current second draft will become open to public consultation before finalized
One of the initiatives was to draft A guidance …
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

4. The second initiative To hire a contractor
To develop an internet platform for dissemination of information
To organise pan-European monitoring of the Cormorant population during breeding and in winter
The other initiative was to hire A contractor …
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

5. The major contributors
CONSORTIUM
Aarhus University
CEH, NERC
SUBCON-TRACTORS
Consultants
Research Institutes
Cormorant Research Group
IUCN / Wetlands International
Cormorant Platform
Counts of Cormorants
As contractors we have a consortium.
Our main deliverables are an internet Platform and the organisation of counts of cormorants.
To be successful in deleveloping a platform and in organising a count we have attached subcontractors who have particular knowledge about cormorant-fish interactions and management or have experience with organsing cormorant counts
We have made an alliance with the CRG … .
We have established SLG to
We have started to collaborate with individual countries ..
We have started to recruit volunteers
Stakeholders’ Liasion Group
Individual countries
Volunteers

6. Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG)
CONSORTIUM
Aarhus University
CEH, NERC
SUBCON-TRACTORS
Consultants
Research Institutes
As contractors we have a consortium.
Our main deliverables are an internet Platform and the organisation of counts of cormorants.
To be successful in deleveloping a platform and in organising a count we have attached subcontractors who have particular knowledge about cormorant-fish interactions and management or have experience with organsing cormorant counts
We have made an alliance with the CRG … .
We have established SLG to
We have started to collaborate with individual countries ..
We have started to recruit volunteers

7. EVERY MAIN STAKEHOLDER IS REPRESENTED
Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG)
CONSORTIUM
Aarhus University
CEH, NERC
EVERY MAIN STAKEHOLDER IS REPRESENTED
SUBCON-TRACTORS
Consultants
Research Institutes
As contractors we have a consortium.
Our main deliverables are an internet Platform and the organisation of counts of cormorants.
To be successful in deleveloping a platform and in organising a count we have attached subcontractors who have particular knowledge about cormorant-fish interactions and management or have experience with organsing cormorant counts
We have made an alliance with the CRG … .
We have established SLG to
We have started to collaborate with individual countries ..
We have started to recruit volunteers

8. The EU Cormorant Platform
The EU Cormorant Platform is a means to understand the issue(s).
Its aim is to ease the access to information about
these issues in an logical, informative and clear way
current best knowledge about the numbers of cormorants in Europe and in individual countries
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

10. The EU Cormorant Platform
(i) CorMan project - Background and Activities
(ii) FAQ – General profile and taxonomy; Appearance; Biology, ecology and behaviour; Reproduction and cormorant life-cycle; Distribution and migration; Protection and population status; Population dynamics; Diet and feeding; effects on fish stocks.
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

13. The EU Cormorant Platform
(iii) Interactions between cormorants, fish and fisheries
Cormorants are generalist predators, they can cause problems for some people, these problems are complicated, how are problems viewed, assessed and evaluated?, [case studies], evidence of damage, balanced consideration is required for solving/reducing problems
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

15. The EU Cormorant Platform
(iv) Cormorant numbers and distribution – the overall development and status for Europe, the current status in individual countries, links to further information (some in native languages)
(v) Management – management measures do different things, legislation allows flexibility, [link to INTERCAFE ‘Toolbox’]
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

16. The EU Cormorant Platform
(vi) Good practice in addressing cormorant-fish-fisheries conflicts
Human-wildlife conflicts in general, conflict management styles, good practice guidelines
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

17. The EU Cormorant Platform
(vii) Stakeholder Liaison Group – information is provided
(viii) Links and bibliography – to scientific papers, university/institute reports, official conference proceedings, some masters and PhD dissertations
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

18. The EU Cormorant Platform
Currently working (within SLG) on a series of further topics, including:
Sustainable management of Cormorant populations
Cormorant problems in relation to different fishery types
What is the ‘damage’, how can it be best assessed?
Case studies – what to include? What is ‘evidence’?
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

19. The EU Cormorant Platform
The SLG is a dynamic group working on complex issues - from a wide range of different experiences and perspectives
This is a challenge – but we are making good progress!
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

20. Monitoring of Cormorants The aim is:
To organise counts of breeding and wintering cormorants in the Western Palearctic in collaboration with the IUCN-Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group
To collate the data and make the major results available through the EU Cormorant Platform
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

21. The count of breeding colonies in 2012
Cormorant counts in the Western Palearctic – Organised by the EC initiative CorMan
in collaboration with the IUCN-Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group

23. xx Example: Distribution and size of breeding colonies in Denmark 2012
Course in Wildlife Ecology and Management, spring 2011, Block 5: Cormorants: Population ecology, modelling and management
AARHUS UNIVERSITY, National Environmental Research Institute
Source: Aarhus University

24. Examples: links to historical population development
Denmark
Finland
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany
Gotland, Sweden
Sources: Aarhus University (Denmark); Agency for Environment, Nature Conservation and Geology (M-W P, Germany); Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE (Finland); Gotland University (Gotland, Sweden).
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

25. Coverage of breeding colonies counted in 2012

27. The count of night roosts in January 2013
Cormorant counts in the Western Palearctic – Organised by the EC initiative CorMan
in collaboration with the IUCN-Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group

28. How are the counts organised
The project has designated Area Coordinators
Areas
The Area Coordinators are in contact with National Coordinators
National Coordinators are institutions or persons with experience from earlier counts of cormorants
Cormorant counts in the Western Palearctic – Organised by the EC initiative CorMan
in collaboration with the IUCN-Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group

29. Present results on a pan-European level
Distribution of Great Cormorants in January 2003.
Source: IUCN/Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group

30. Contribution from Member States
The EC highly appreciates that Member States try to contribute to the national counts of wintering cormorants
Authorities may be able to assist:
with contact to local authorities who can support with counts in national parks, reserves and on national property
with funding for organisation of counts and for writing up and publication of results of counts at the national level. This is a time consuming process!
IN CONTRACT BY AARHUS UNIVERSITY AND CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT N° / 2010/575579/SER/B3

31. Thank you
Course in Wildlife Ecology and Management, spring 2011, Block 5: Cormorants: Population ecology, modelling and management
AARHUS UNIVERSITY, National Environmental Research Institute