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Springwatch's Iolo Williams angry as sea scooters hit birds

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Naturalist Iolo Williams wants water scooters to carry number plates after seeing riders drive through seabirds

Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams has called for sea scooter users to require licences after seeing five riders plough through seabirds.

He also wants the vehicles to carry number plates after seeing the incident off Puffin Island, near Anglesey.

"They went right through the middle of these auks, guillemots and razor bills," Mr Williams said.

The Department for Transport said local and harbour authorities have powers to enact bylaws governing their use.

Naturalist Mr Williams said there had also been incidents off South Stack, also off Anglesey.

"I am calling for, if not an outright ban, they should be licensed and have large registration numbers," Mr Williams said.

"These idiots that I saw, they should not be on them at all."

He said the problem had arisen because lockdown was forcing people who would normally be abroad to holiday in the UK instead.

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"I was walking with a telescope and there were several hundred birds," he continued.

"They could have killed them, whether any were killed I do not know. If it was left to me I would ban them from these places."

North Wales Police's rural crime team said it was "aware of reports of jet skis ploughing through rafts of seabirds on Anglesey".

The force said on Twitter: "Various reports have been made in recent weeks in areas including Puffin Island and South Stack - home to seabirds including auks such as guillemots, razorbills, and puffins."

Presenter Iolo Williams
Iolo Williams said the perpetrators were "idiots"

Rural crime team manager Sgt Dewi Evans said he was "very disappointed" water scooters had been "ploughing through these rafts".

He added: "This is not a sustainable way to manage our natural resources and if someone were to do this, knowingly causing injury to our bird life, then they would be committing a criminal offence."

A UK government Department for Transport spokesman said: "In the event that by-laws are breached, the local or harbour authority and the police have the powers to prosecute offenders and/or move people on, so any such activity should be immediately be reported to the police.

"The Department for Transport intends to consult on new national legislation to further strengthen existing enforcement powers and ensure that, where wilful or negligent misuse occurs, riders can be prosecuted."