I don't want to seem bolshie but...

Re. the post on 3rd April concerning the assistant ranger talking to some of our flyers about fulmars. 

I've been meaning to do some research on this but only just got round to it.

Up to the turn of the century, fulmar populations in the UK were expanding and had done so quite rapidly for the majority of the latter half of the century. There has been a, less dramatic, decline in numbers since the turn of the century but this is attributed mainly to the decline in the fishing industry. Fulmar populations had increased so much because of the availability of an easy food source in the shape of fish offal thrown overboard by fishing boats. The fulmar population decline is also attributed to ecological changes which have affected a natural food source, sandeels.

The most spectacular growth in the fulmar population was from the 1970s to the millennium and the decline has occurred since then. Since RC flying has been taking place at Newhaven Cliffs at least from the '70s, during the explosive population growth, it seems clear our activities have little if any effect on the birds. There's simply no evidence for it.

As flyers, we all love the privilege of being in such a beautiful natural setting and enjoying nature while we enjoy our hobby. I'm sure all of us would be happy to keep clear of an area if it were shown that we were causing harm. However, this just seems like someone in authority who doesn't necessarily know what they're talking about.

While we don't want to aggravate the authorities, we also don't want to be chucked off a long-used flying site by someone who is potentially misusing their authority.

When I was in Micriolighting, a local strip wanted to formalise their already habitual use of their site by getting planning permission to continue current use levels. Objectors suddenly came out of the woodwork. One big objection was from a nearby stables who said the microlights would adversely affect the breeding of the horses. The BMAA were able to show studies confirming that where other fields were close to studs no effect had been observed on the breeding or indeed the horses' wellbeing.

My personal view is that we should continue to use Newhaven Cliffs and contact the BMFA about the approach from the ranger. Flying sites are under threat all over the country and I'm not sure we should accept limitations on our use if no clear case is shown that we cause harm.

Please see DEFRA's Joint Nature Conservancy Committee report on fulmars at...

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2868 

... for the info summarised above. 

Again, don't want to be bloshie but slow erosion of our right to fly is a real danger... 

Finally, another photo of the Fulmar: