Nature, farm and hunting groups agree goose cull plan

Bird protection group Vogelbescherming, the forestry commission, farming organisations and the national hunters association have reached agreement on culling the Greylag goose population.


The group, which calls itself Ganzen-8 (Geese 8), has agreed to reduce the Greylag geese population back to 2005 levels, when about 100,000 birds were here.
They say the measures are necessary to reduce economic and environmental damage
The cull will take place over five years but the organisations do not say how many geese will be shot over that period.
Non-native
In addition, non-native geese and so-called soup geese (hybrids and escapees) will no longer receive special protection, the organisations have agreed.
The plan will now be put to the organisations’ own members for them to vote on. If the plan is accepted, the Ganzen-8 members will take their plan to regional and national government.
The pro-animal party PvdD says it is unbelievable that the bird protection organisation has agreed to the plan, arguing that the number of birds cannot be influenced by shooting.
The Netherlands has struggled with its Greylag goose population for the past few years. Last year, Friesland sanctioned the cull of 10,000 geese because of damage to farmland.

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