ABC News 21 Feb 08;
Port Lincoln's mayor says tuna farmers should be allowed to shoot seagulls at fish feedlots to help ease an explosion in numbers of the birds.
Peter Davis says authorised methods of control such as destroying eggs on Boston Island are not working.
He says he has returned his permit to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Mr Davis says the problem needs to be tackled at tuna farms where the seagulls feed.
He says the booming seagull numbers are destroying the environment.
"Because of the political pressure exerted by well-intentioned environmentalists, bird lovers, predominantly in the capital cities - any farmer will tell you it is a dead-set cinch using rifle fire to very quickly discourage the pest bird - the birds are intelligent," he said.
Regional conservator for National Parks Ross Belcher says there are already strategies to eventually reduce seagull numbers.
He says shooting the birds from boats would not be acceptable.
"To suggest to shoot a bird on the wing from a boat that's bobbing up and down in the ocean is probably not going to produce a very good result," he said.
"You could have wounded birds, you could miss them and you could have projectiles flying all over the place."
