Scotland launches £100,000 fund to curb urban gulls amid safety concerns

A new £100,000 fund has been unveiled by the Scottish Government to tackle the scourge of urban gulls amid concerns they could cause serious injury. The money will finance measures aimed at discouraging nesting in problem areas, including laser deterrents that project a green beam to deter birds, as well as noise devices, roof spikes and netting, with the aim of reducing gull activity ahead of the next breeding season.

The fund will be used for targeted measures in known problem areas before nesting begins, and officials said deterrents such as laser bird deterrent systems can prove effective. The lasers project a green light that simulates a predator, prompting gulls to flee, while some areas have trialed audio tracks that broadcast falcon cries or distress calls to deter birds.

The funding comes ahead of a seagull summit at NatureScot's Inverness headquarters to discuss practical solutions, though critics described the gathering as closed‑door and said local representatives and some media had been barred. Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said the summit would share practical solutions, draw on real‑world examples and identify gaps in current policies to develop a coordinated approach. He noted that effective gull management often requires a mix of strategies, including improving litter control to limit food sources for the birds. Where public safety is at risk, NatureScot can issue control licences, and the focus is on preventing issues next year with extra support for communities.

Supporters and critics alike have been watching the debate over how best to handle urban gulls, which have become a high‑profile issue in parts of Scotland across the Highlands and Islands. Critics, including former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, dismissed the new funding as pitiful and argued the summit would not help families affected by the problem. 'This pitiful funding announcement sums up how detached SNP ministers are from the reality facing communities across Scotland,' Ross said, adding that cash‑strapped councils and groups have already shouldered thousands of pounds in costs due to what he described as inaction. He also renewed his call that NatureScot’s remit be split so the agency no longer both protects bird numbers and approves licenses to control them, warning the summit would achieve little for communities in Moray, the Highlands and elsewhere.

Parliamentary Business Minister Jamie Hepburn resigned on Friday after being accused by Ross of physical assault and verbal abuse during a parliamentary procedure that sought a ministerial statement on the summit.

Fairlie said the fund’s purpose was to enable targeted measures in known problem areas before nesting begins, with laser deterrents and noise devices providing immediate effect in some locations. 'The summit allows us to share practical solutions, learn from real‑world examples and identify gaps in current policies to develop a coordinated approach,' he said. 'Where public safety is at risk, NatureScot can issue control licences. Our focus now is on how we can prevent these issues from arising next year, with extra support provided and I look forward to seeing the projects that this additional funding will help.'

NatureScot chair Professor Colin Galbraith stressed that the debate around urban gulls should balance conservation with any necessary control. 'While the debate on urban gulls has long centred on control through licensing, and that will undoubtedly remain part of the picture, it is important at the same time to look at the underlying reasons for any problems, including the availability of food and nest sites for the gulls in urban settings. This funding will support local authorities to develop proactive and collaborative plans to manage gulls in a way that balances their conservation with any control activities.'