Petition · past parliament · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Remove legal protections for the Herring Gull
Closed
89 signatures
What the petition asks
It's a criminal offence to cause harm to wild birds, including the Herring Gull, without a licence. Licenses are difficult to obtain. Legal protections for Herring Gulls should be removed to make it easier for councils and householders to deal with these birds, for example removing nests from roofs.
Herring Gulls now nest widely in urban areas. These birds are extremely noisy, damage property, and cause palpable distress to many, both adults and children, stealing food from their hands, frightening the latter especially and causing many people to avoid eating outdoors. Herring Gulls are large and can be aggressive, especially in breeding season, They confer few benefits on the world at large or humankind specifically. Legal protections for Herring Gulls should be removed.
Timeline
| 15 Aug 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Mar 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
89
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened
15 Aug 2022
Closed
1 Mar 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.