In Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais), fries lovers are invited not to share them with gulls.
The same goes for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or other foods often eaten on the docks.
"It is forbidden to feed these birds, under penalty of a fine of 68 euros", warns Franck Miellot, communication manager of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The campaign against the nesting of the herring gull is in full swing there, as every year between March and mid-May.
“When the nest is made, it's too late.
We do not destroy the eggs, ”he emphasizes, the species being protected.
The city's industrial fish-processing zone is a real pantry for herring gulls.
Markus Wagner on Pixabay
Cohabitation with this gull is complicated because of the droppings, noise pollution or the aggressiveness it can show.
A puzzle for Boulogne-sur-Mer, which particularly attracts him.
“It is linked to the port integrated into the city: coastal fishing boats dock every day, with gulls on their roof”.
Not to mention an industrial area for processing fish, a real pantry for these birds, or several buildings with flat roofs, suitable for nesting.
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Treasures of ingenuity are therefore necessary to keep it away.
This year, technology is stepping in, with a drone used to observe the highest rooftops.
The tool makes it easy to identify those that require intervention: removal of waste (such as wood) used during the construction of nests, or the preventive installation of "fakir mats" (a metal grid with spikes).
Without this struggle, which dates back to the end of the 2000s, there is no doubt for Franck Miellot that the invasion would have taken on other proportions.