Freedom of Information Request - Gull Management Licences
Date: 08 October 2025
Our ref: SIR181786/A5510387
Information Request – Gull Management Licences
Your Request
Please could I request the following information:
(1) The total number of gull management licences received across the last five years compared to the number of applications granted across the last five years.
(2) Please could you break the numbers outlined in (1) up by year.'
Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold our response is below.
| x | 2021* | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Licence Applications | 177** | 2385 | 2653 | 1619*** | 585 |
| Total Number of Licences Approved | 170 | 1988** | 2037 | 503 | 300*** |
* In 2021, licences to manage gulls for preserving public health and safety were issued to pest controllers who then held a site list where they registered new sites; thus, one licence would cover multiple sites. This approach changed from 2022 onwards where each site was covered by its own licence.
** Four licence applications were received in 2021 for which the resultant licence was approved in 2022.
***Two licence applications were received in 2024 for which the resultant licence was approved in 2025.
Please note, the totals are inclusive of “Bird Air Safety” licences, where gull species have been specified. Licences of this kind can also be granted for “Any Wild Bird Species”, which may include gull species.
Please also note, when a licence is amended or renewed, a new licence number is generated for the site; thus, the number of applications received, and the number of licences issued, will be greater than the actual number of sites which held a licence.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
