Natural England scraps sea eagles

The CLA expressed relief that its lobbying had led to Natural England abandoning plans to introduce sea eagles.

Natural England – in conjunction with the RSPB - had planned to import 75 sea eagles to Suffolk, a move the CLA said could have had a disastrous impact on the rural economy in East Anglia, threatening free range piglets and chickens as well as many wild bird species.

CLA President William Worsley today (14 June) welcomed Natural England’s announcement that the project had been dropped after its funding was reportedly cut by Defra Ministers.

Mr Worsley said: "This is absolutely the right decision for the rural economy and wildlife. A population of sea eagles could have had a significant economic impact on the livestock industry in East Anglia. Free range pig and poultry producers could have been particularly seriously affected as a quarter of the national outdoor pig herd is in Suffolk.

"The CLA has lobbied hard on this issue and won widespread support. We were especially concerned that Natural England’s European data on the impact on farming of sea eagles did not apply in the same way to livestock farming in East Anglia.

"We were also sceptical of Natural England’s claims that the introduction would be a big benefit to tourism in East Anglia, and the project is probably not the best use of public money in these straitened times."

The sea eagle, which has an eight-foot wingspan, is also known as the white-tailed eagle and existed in England until the 19th Century. However, there is scant proof that it was ever in East Anglia.