I would like to register my…

I would like to register my opposition to the proposed changes regarding the hunting of cormorants. These changes bear little resemblance to what most hunters regard as responsible hunting practices. The limit of 50 birds per day is not compatible with maintaining a healthy population of birds particularly when combined with the provision that birds may be left to rot. How can the number of birds killed by a hunter be determined when they do not have the birds killed in their possession? Therefore the "limit" is unenforceable. All accepted hunting practices require that a hunter do his best to ensure that any animal wounded by the hunter is tracked and killed to prevent unnecessary suffering. This value of responsible hunters is totally ignored in this proposal. It is also not normal hunting practice to kill animals at a time in which young which are dependent on their parents for survival will be orphaned. The terms of this proposal indicate that its true purpose is the virtual extirpation of the cormorant in Ontario to benefit recreational fishing. While recognizing that this fishery is of interest to many Ontarians, it should be recognized that equally as many citizens of the province benefit from and appreciate nature in different ways. The cormorant is a native species which has relatively recently returned to this habitat following the damage done to the population by pesticides. While there may be a need for some control of its numbers, this proposal is far too extreme and environmentally irresponsible.