Flocks of racing pigeons being released from lorries at L’Ancresse have been a common sight over recent summers, but the almost weekly events will now no longer go ahead after Guernsey Airport aligned its approach to wildlife hazard management with the UK Civil Aviation Authority best practice.
This means racing pigeons cannot be released en masse within eight miles of the airport – something that is impossible in Guernsey.
Royal Pigeon Racing Association Guernsey site agent Rene Archer said the notification came completely out of the blue.
‘I can’t see what the problem is,’ he said.
‘We have never had an incident. Pigeons fly a maximum of 100 to 150 feet up to get their bearings and then fly no more than 10 feet above the water. I have now had to cancel 28 events this year alone.’
Nigel Legg of Guernsey Racing Pigeon Club said he was disappointed with the ban.
‘There has been a total lack of information. It is a total ban without any consultation,’ he said.
He added that he was now making efforts to get in touch with the RPRA to try to find out more.
‘It seems very harsh. Obviously no one wants an accident to be caused. I’m sure some kind of compromise could have been found.’
Safety changes had already been brought in around three years ago, which meant drivers rang the airport, which is over five miles from L’Ancresse, to check airspace was clear before a release.
Last year saw 24 lorry loads of pigeons being brought to the island for release, each with around 1,200 racing pigeons on board.
Mr Archer said as well as the obvious cultural loss, it would hit income for shipping too.
‘The lorries would be paying £2,500 to come over and they all had to be escorted here which added to revenue.’
Guernsey Ports head of safety, risk and compliance Lewis Dale said the decision to ban racing pigeons had been taken jointly between Guernsey Ports and the Office of the Director of Civil Aviation, which is the aviation regulator for the Channel Islands.
‘We are committed to maintaining high standards of aviation safety and appreciate the cooperation of local and international pigeon racing organisations,’ he said.
‘We continue to work collaboratively with the community to support compliance with a continually evolving regulatory landscape, while recognising the cultural significance of pigeon racing on the islands.’
Mr Dale there has been no actual change in the law, and the change was an alignment with aviation regulation for certified aerodromes.
‘While there have been bird strikes recorded at the airport, we’re not aware of any direct incidents involving racing pigeons,’ he said.
‘However, large releases can interfere with air traffic operations and do pose a significant risk to aviation safety.’
Dorniers flying to and from Alderney often fly close to L’Ancresse. Flight radar for a service from Guernsey to Alderney yesterday showed that after taking off from the airport, the service was at over 2,000 feet by the time it reached L’Ancresse.
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