09.11.2021
Facilitating a Nordic cormorant working group
Open project database
The great cormorant is protected under the EU Birds Directive. Because of this the population growth has been strong in the Baltic Sea region during the past few decades. Conflicts between cormorants and humans, with fishermen in particular, have occured. Management of cormorant populations is not only a local question but rather a larger-scale issue between different regions and countries.
In 2020-2021, a Nordic working group sought to address the questions concerning the management of cormorant populations in the Baltic Sea region. Akordi was involved as a facilitator in a project ‘Towards a joint Nordic cormorant management’. The project was initiated by the Ostrobothnian Fisheries Association and financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The project included meetings, altogether four of them, and the last one was arranged face-to-face in Mariehamn in Åland in November 2021. Each meeting was attended by representatives from environmental governance, managing authorities and research from Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
The project aims were twofold. The first was to develop collaboration between managing authorities and researchers regarding cormorants by exchanging knowledge and by learning from each other. The second aim was to take the first steps towards a joint Nordic cormorant management. The need for developing and increasing Nordic collaboration in the future was recognized.
