Science Facing Aliens - Invasive Alien Species in Belgium - Belgian ...

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Legislation and Management
Apart from the international actions in the framework of the Ruddy Duck interbreeding
problem, only the management of the Canada Goose is legally regulated. Ruddy Shelduck and
Barnacle Goose are special cases. The first has wild breeding populations within the EU (in
the Black Sea region) and is as such not considered as a ‘non-native’ species, although feral
populations mostly origin from escapees. The Barnacle Goose figures on the Annex I of the
EU Birds’ Directive and the unclear mix of populations with birds from escaped and wild
origin outside their traditional Scandinavian breeding grounds complicates actions to prevent
further growth of these populations (in certain regions in major part originating from
escapees). All other non-native species are ‘outlawed’ and can be ‘destroyed’ by all means.
The management of Canada Goose populations consists of hunting, destroying of eggs and
rounding up and killing of flightless birds during moult. Bag statistics are gradually better
documented (Scheppers & Casaer, 2008). Statistics on other measures exist but are still less
accessible.
Future actions and needs
To be able to evaluate management actions in an efficient way, the existing monitoring
systems have to be maintained and developed or adapted where necessary. Non-native species
form part of a regional environmental indicator and therefore it is important to have sound
data. There is a need to start thinking about developing structural and legally regulated
management actions for the Egyptian Goose and to find a solution for the Barnacle Goose
‘problem’. Intervention actions on these species should be coordinated and organised on a
much wider (international) scale. Special attention must be paid to the Ruddy Duck and
actions undertaken to halt its present population development. We strongly advice to support
or start studies on damage impact (crops, vulnerable vegetations, species interactions) as
sound quantitative information is largely lacking, and bring together all non- published
knowledge in a comprehensive review. And last but not least we simply propose to apply
more extensively the AEWA Conservation Guidelines on Avoidance of Introductions of Nonnative
Waterbird Species (Owen et al, 2006).