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Wildfowling
Wildfowling on the foreshore and on adjacent lands owned or controlled by the National Trust is subject to controls under the
Wildlife Scheme
.
A system of refuges has been established where wildfowling is either banned or restricted to certain times of year and where efforts are being made to minimise all forms of disturbance. Bag returns provide information on the numbers and species of birds shot and their location. Mallard is the main quarry species, followed by teal.
New regulations that came into force on 1
st
September 2009 (The Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) Regulations, Northern Ireland 2009)prohibit the use of lead shot on or over wetlands. For full details see
Section 2, Northern Ireland Local Measures.
The current level of wildfowling in Strangford Lough is generally considered to be sustainable. However, wildfowling causes some disturbance to birds affected by the sound of gunshot and the sight of dogs.
The revised system of refuges, including time‑share zones and shooting regulated zones, has been designed to increase the birds' opportunity to feed and roost undisturbed, so maintaining the Lough’s attraction for them. Work to determine the effectiveness and sustainability of the current refuge system is on-going.