TasPorts’ focus on innovative seagull management

Ports and Silver Gulls have coexisted since the establishment of coastal settlement and maritime trade, which is why TasPorts focuses on innovative and preventative solutions to manage population levels.

TasPorts’ Regional Operations Manager Daniel Baker said port infrastructure and human activity provides breeding and feeding grounds for silver gulls, but careful management is required for hygiene and biosecurity purposes.

“We know seagull excrement can carry pathogens, such as salmonella, which can be a public health risk, as well as being highly acidic, which can cause infrastructure erosion and contaminate water, making it a biosecurity risk,” he said.

“Population management is important and TasPorts’ mitigation strategy focuses on prevention and innovation to detract birds from nesting where possible.

“This includes spraying garlic, reflective lights, scare tactics, and more recently the use of random sprinkler sprays which are having a good level of success.”

The random sprinkler sprays is a humane way to create an unpredictable environment, which makes nesting and roosting less attractive, as well as acting as a physical barrier preventing the gulls from landing.

“Seagulls prefer stable, undisturbed areas and the random activation of sprinklers create an environment that is unpredictable and uncomfortable, helping to reduce the presence of gulls in targeted areas,” Daniel said.

“Our main priority is prevention and adopting innovative approaches that balance the need for effective seagull management with environmental and wildlife conservation considerations.”

TasPorts Bird Management Policy focuses on continuous improvement for sustainable and bio-secure co-existence of ports and Silver Gulls.