Plans approved to control feral geese numbers

Plans to control the number of geese at a Jersey beauty spot by preventing their eggs from hatching have been approved.

Jersey's department of biosecurity put forward the plans to carry out a process known as addling to stop the embryos developing inside eggs of feral geese, mainly greylag, at Grouville Marsh.

According to the plans, feral geese on the island lack "natural predators" and the population grew to about 300 by 2025. It said organisations, landowners, farmers, businesses and conservationists were "concerned" by their numbers.

The addling process involves covering the eggs with a liquid paraffin oil which prevents oxygen getting into the shell.

According to plans, treated eggs will be left in the nest so the female resumes incubation and is not prompted to build another nest or lay a new clutch.

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