Metropolitan Porto will implement a plan to combat seagulls in coastal municipalities

The Porto agglomeration plans to launch a competition “in the coming months” for the implementation of an action plan to combat seagulls in coastal areas, said the secretary of the executive committee of this association of municipalities.

The launch of the competition “will take place in the next few months because nesting time [das gaivotas] It’s June now,” said the first secretary of the executive committee of the Metropolitan Municipality of Porto, Ariana Pinho, during the Porto Municipal Assembly, which took place on Monday evening.

The meeting was attended by four members of the Executive Committee and explained the work carried out by the Metropolitan Area of ​​Porto (AMP) in various areas and projects.

When asked by the President of the Union of the Parishes of Aldoara, Foz do Douro and Nevogilde, Thiago Maian, about the progress and delays of the project, which began in 2020, the First Secretary clarified that it is “in its final stages”, but that due to Covid-19 and the departure of some technicians “there was a delay.”

“When we decided to move forward last year, it was already nesting season,” he said, adding that the measures would be implemented this year.

The municipalities at stake are Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Matosinhos, Vila do Conde and Povoa de Varzim, which participated in the works carried out in 2021 and 2022 by the consortium of Floradata and Wedotech under the overall coordination of Paulo Alves.

A report on the activities of the Executive Committee, which was provided to MPs and to which Lusa had access, explained that the three organizations that submitted proposals to the competition were consulted about the provision of the service, but this was “due to the ‘timing’ of the intervention ( which should not occur during the gull breeding season), a contract to assist with nest removal was scheduled for 2024.”

“Despite this, Povoa de Varzim was awarded a contract at the beginning of summer 2023 for the implementation of a pilot project for the control of gulls,” the document says, adding that the coastal municipalities and Maya “have already expressed interest in a new joint contract, so purchase plan execution services.”

“When the contracting process begins, municipalities must request an ICNF license. [Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas] remove the nests,” he adds.

The action plan states that each municipality shall develop a “breeding control program” for the yellow-legged gull (‘Larus michahellis’), the most common species, “and this program shall be carried out during the breeding season (from early April to late May/early June).”

The program “may involve removing nests and/or removing and/or rendering eggs nonviable” while leaving them in the nest, allowing “the ease of implementation of each method to be compared and results to be compared in the short to medium term.”

The action plan also calls for the preparation or revision of best practice guidelines for key gull feeding areas such as fish auctions, restaurants, boats or landfills, proper management of organic waste and avoiding animal feeding through increased public awareness.