BREEDING POPULATION DATABASE OF GREAT CORMORANT:
DATABASE OF P. c. carbo AND P. c. sinensis IN EUROPE, NORTH AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

The population increase of Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo is very well documented for almost all parts of Europe since the late 1970s. The intensity of the population increase is much greater than population changes in many other bird species in Europe. Consequently, this population development has resulted in increased conflicts between Great Cormorants and fishermen in Europe. Since 1985, four meetings of cormorant specialists have been organised (in Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy). During the conference in Gda_sk (Poland) in April 1993, the Cormorant Research Group (CRG) was founded, of which the main aim was expressed as the facilitation of the exchange of information on the ecology and biology of the different species of cormorant worldwide and on possible conflicts between cormorants and human fisheries' interests. At the last IWRB (Wetlands International) Cormorant Research Group meeting, the establishment of a Cormorant Population Database for Europe was recognised as one of the group's priorities.

The data collected in this project will be used for:

* monitoring of population development
* population modelling
* prediction of further population changes
* improvement of action plans for Great Cormorants at local, national and international levels

We intend to collect two sets of information (basic and additive) for as many Great Cormorant colonies in Europe as possible. The basic information, such as locality, coordinates (longitude, latitude), altitude, number of breeding pairs, method of estimation of breeding numbers (see below) and nest site is sought for all colonies throughout Europe. Additive information (e.g. arrival date, the first egg laying date, clutch size, brood size, number of non-breeders in colony) is requested from as many breeding sites as possible.

The Great Cormorant is probably one of the few bird species which could be censused on a European scale by means of this proposed scheme. Therefore, I would like to ask all European CRG members within the range of this species' breeding distribution for their cooperation in this project. Most of the workers in the best-known colonies have already been contacted directly, but some smaller and possibly less well-known sites may have been overlooked. Enclosed you will find a questionnaire form on which the data requested for 1995 and 1996 may be filled in in a standardised way.

Results of this programme will be summarised in annual reports and published in the CRG Bulletin. Annual reports will be simultaneously distributed to all national coordinators. We also intend to present some preliminary analyses at the next CRG meeting (probably winter 1997/98). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Petr Musil, Project Coordinator, Institute of Applied Ecology, Kostelec nad Cernými lesy, CZ-281 63, Czech Republic

REQUEST FOR REGIONAL COORDINATORS FOR
THE AMERICAS, AFRICA, ASIA AND AUSTRALASIA

Since the aim of the Wetlands International Cormorant Research Group still is to offer an information platform for cormorant workers, both professional and amateur, and fisheries' managers worldwide, we are deeply concerned about the fact that from our European angle we do not seem to be able to effectively assemble enough information on other species than Great Cormorants and from other areas than Europe. Since our mailing list has been expanding steadily throughout last year and most certainly is actually covering a lot of countries and continents, we hope that some of you are willing to fulfill the task of regional coordinator for the following regions: the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia. The task of such a coordinator would be to recollect and summarise interesting findings and/or developments concerning cormorant biology, ecology and/or conflicts in their respective regions and provide this information to the actual editorial board of CRG Bulletin for publication. If you want to try your hand at this task for any of the four regions mentioned, please do not hesitate to contact with:

Mennobart Van Eerden
Coordinator Cormorant Research Group (Wetlands International)
Rijkswaterstaat RIZA
P.O. Box 17
NL-8200 AA Lelystad
the Netherlands

Phone: +31 320 298331
Fax: +31 320 298383
E-mail: M.VEERDEN@RIZA.RWS.MINVENW.NL

Issues of the first volume of CRG Bulletin are still available at the same address.

RECENT MEETINGS ABOUT CORMORANTS IN EUROPE

Mennobart R. van Eerden

Several meetings were held since the last bulletin appeared. A summary of the most important facts and findings is given below.

Bologna November 1995.
From 1-3 November 1995 the fourth international workshop on Cormorants in Europe was held in Bologna, Italy. Organised by Nicola Baccetti and Giuseppe Cherubini, assisted by a team of enthusiastic colleagues, the meeting was attended by some 105 registered participants from 22 countries. For the first time situated in the southern part of Europe, the meeting attracted more people from this region than before. New was the attendance from workers from northern Africa (Tunisia, Egypt), the middle east (Israel) and even further (Belarus and Japan). This illustrates the expanding interest in the ecology and associated interactions with human fisheries. Larger programmes of research lasting for several years, have recently started or are in a final stage of planning in Great Britain, Sweden, Rumania and Israel.

The first and last day of the workshop was held in Bologna and the second day was spent in Argenta, combined with an excursion to one of the wetland areas. About 40 plenary talks and ca. 30 posters gave an overview about recent studies conducted on the cormorant, the majority dealing with P. carbo.

A new initiative was to give a thematic approach of cormorant research. Chaired by David Carss, accompanied by several (tiny) bottles of Scotch, this has resulted in a very successful workshop about methods to study diet and food intake. Pro's and contra's of research using pellets, regurgitates, gullet analyses and direct observations were evaluated and an attempt was made to standardise the methods.

A round table discussion chaired by Jeff Kirby and Mennobart van Eerden highlighted the results of the workshop and also put forward steps to be taken during the years to come. Under the umbrella of Wetlands International, a triennial plan was presented (see below). It is good to repeat here that the scope and intensity of activities carried out by the group are to be carried by the group's members, so please react on this and show initiative! From this side, once again thank you for having organised this successful meeting and having shown us around in this charming part of the world, in which many of us made new friends. Nicola and his team are currently working hard to accomplish the final version of the proceedings which will hopefully appear winter 1996/97.

Brussels May 1996
Following a resolution put forward in the European Parliament in March 1996, an ad hoc expert meeting was organised by the Directorate General XI in Brussels, 7 May 1996. The meeting was attended by specialists of the fields of ecology, fisheries' biology and nature management of six countries (I,F,D,NL,DK,GB). The resolution's main point was:

"1. Considers it appropriate to take special temporary measures, by means of scientific projects approved by the Commission, aimed at:

a) reestablishing environmental balance in the areas where an abnormal increase in the number of cormorants is ascertained;

(b) preventive action to restrict the reproduction of cormorants,

(c) the analysis and development of other non-violent ways of reducing the environmental impact of excessive numbers of cormorants,

(d) and, above all, catching cormorants in areas where their presence is proven to be a nuisance and, in views of studies carried out by scientific authorities, the temporary exclusion of cormorants (Phalacrocorax sinensis) from Annex 1 to Directive 79/409/EEC."

The meeting was organised to inform the responsible administrators about recent developments in the population size, feeding ecology and possible steps towards a solution of the perceived problems with cormorants and fisheries. It was concluded that measures as proposed in the resolution are not easy to be carried out, besides the contradictory views on the subject between (and even within) the different member states. The outcome of the Lelystad meeting later this year was considered important in order to judge more specifically about the different management options and the willingness to cooperate on an EC level.

Lelystad October 1996
This meeting (3 and 4 October) is the follow-up of two earlier conferences, held in Copenhagen, aimed at adopting a European wide approach in order to alleviate the damage problems reported by the different member and non-member states. The Danish-Dutch initiative has resulted in a two-steps-plan towards a European Flyway Management Plan of cormorants. First a draft report has been made which summarises all available knowledge on the subject. This draft will be discussed during the workshop. Second, a series of possible management options will be investigated. Both the draft report and the outcome of the discussion about the effect and political willingness will be important ingredients for the final management plan. According to the schedule, early 1997 another meeting will be necessary to adopt this plan. It is tried to present it as full concept at the 1997 Bonn Convention Meeting which is to be held in April. Besides experts from both fisheries and nature protectionists, observers from NGO's (such as CRG), the meeting is only open to invited representatives of the different European countries. Provided the common interest in this matter, proceedings will be published later this year.

CRG triennial plan

Mennobart R. van Eerden

At the Bologna meeting the triennial plan was presented (1996-1998) of the Cormorant Research Group of Wetlands International. The most important points are as follows, with their corresponding action point:

Strategic goal:

To extend the group's working area to other species of cormorants and regions.

- to focus on both the common as well as the threatened and endangered species, e.g. in Europe Ph. pygmaeus
- to establish contacts with North American workers on Double-crested Cormorants Ph. auritus which shows much aspects in common with Ph. carbo.
Action point: to appoint a coordinator for the America's and a coordinator for Australasia.

General goals:

- to publish the CRG bulletin, one issue each year;
- to organise conferences and workshops, the next one is scheduled winter 1997/8;
- to try to raise funds for covering extra costs, such as support for travel costs by eastern European, Asian and African workers.
Action point: to appoint a treasurer and work out future plans.

Research specific goals:

- to set up and keep up-dated databases of cormorant populations in Europe. It is planned to carry out an annual census of Ph. carbo sinensis in western Europe, a triennial census of Ph. carbo carbo in Europe and Ph. carbo sinensis in eastern Europe, with a starting year 1997;
- to set up a database of cormorant populations around the world. This may include the collection of key literature, a summary of ecological knowledge as well of status and protection;
- to write a status report, possibly in 1998 by a specialist to be appointed at a special contract.
Action point: information collected by or coordinated through the three global coordinators. Finances and detailed plan to be prepared.

- to study interference with fisheries. For this purpose, workshops will be organised about the need for standardisation of methods, fish stock assessment and feeding ecology;
- to study population development by demographic studies, using colour rings;
- to contribute to a flyway management plan for cormorants in Europe.
Action point: coordination and scheduling, extra finances required (EC, UNEP).