In the UK is it legal to shoot Gulls?

I have no idea what the laws are in GB as I am an American, however, in my area one can get depredation permits through the fish and game management if a bird or animal is problematic or killing ones animals or crops. Crows are a problem in the California fruit and nut industry as well as in many vineyards and it is legal for farmers to kill them. I personally like crows. lol

I live in the mountains where there are lots of coyotes and it is also okay to shoot them with the proper permits.

I have issues with deer on my mountain and all my gardening has to be behind fencing.

I’d look into putting out scarecrows or other deterrents first, like shiny ribbons and such or netting which the vineyards ranchers use here.

I think killing anything should be a last resort under only the most extreme circomstances.

Maybe try some lightweight netting over your peas & beans and other things such as big rubber snakes placed around the garden. Good luck!

It would appear it is illegal to kill gulls. They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. See this article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2097681.stm

The herring gull is in decline and listed unter the red list of threatened species however is only in the stage of ‘least concern’ however it is listed. The herring gull is also protected under the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000. This makes it illegal to intentionally injure or kill any gull or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents, im not 100% sure if this is only the case in Jersey. I have been out to Whitby as I live in Newcastle and study marine biology and I would say that their herring gull population is not reduculous at all for a coastal area.

“a general licence from the Department for Environment Farming and Rural Affairs – which allows the public to kill some wild birds under certain condition.”“the Defra licence only entitles to shoot the bird if it was a threat to public health and if there was no other way of dealing with it.”