Tackling seagull menace on the Scottish coast

A Scottish council is fighting back against the winged menace that plagues our seaside towns – seagulls.

Fife Council’s Councillor Ross Vettraino and enforcement officers visited Kirkcaldy Esplanade today providing advice to businesses on preventing litter and seagull deterrents.

This summer, the council is asking people not to feed the gulls and property owners affected by gulls to consider gull-proofing their properties.

Councillor Vettraino, convener of the environment, protective services and community safety committee explained: ‘Gulls are opportunistic feeders and will scavenge in towns for food dropped by pedestrians or thrown out of cars, as well as tear open waste bags left on streets.

‘Everyone in Fife can play their part by not feeding the gulls, by binning litter instead of dropping it and by properly covering their waste.

‘Fife Council has no statutory duty to deal with gulls, nor does it have the resources to do so. However, officers will give advice about the measures property owners and businesses can employ to proof their property and mitigate the nuisance.’

Fife Council is taking a pro-active approach against seagulls

Service manager for environmental health, Lisa McCann added: ‘All businesses can play a positive part in helping to reduce feeding opportunities for gulls. Keeping waste secure means that it does not end up scattered on our streets.

‘Food businesses in particular need to ensure that their waste cannot escape their control. Officers from The Food and Workplace Safety team place a strong emphasis on waste security when auditing the management of Duty of Care at any business.

‘With this in mind The Food and Workplace Safety team are supporting Councillor Vettraino in this campaign with the publication of a guidance document for businesses explaining how they can take steps to keep the waste they produce secure. The document will be available later this month and can be downloaded from the commercial waste section on www.fifedirect.org.uk.’

In areas where seagulls are causing a nuisance the council will be using signs, banners and pavement stencils to raise awareness and encourage people to not drop their litter but ‘Just bin it’.

Safer Community Officers will also increase patrols in areas affected with seagulls, they’ll adopt a zero tolerance approach and will issue fines to anyone seen dropping litter.

For further advice on seagulls click HERE.