I have serious concerns…

Numéro du REO

013-4124

Identifiant (ID) du commentaire

16698

Commentaire fait au nom

Individual

Statut du commentaire

Commentaire

I have serious concerns about the way this bill is set up. I have no love for Cormorants but there are better, more effective ways of control (oiling eggs for three consecutive seasons for one) than giving hunters a virtual dawn to dusk hunt, over open water from open motor vessels, with shotguns and a very questionable 50 daily bag limit WITH NO REQUIREMENT TO TAKE THE CARCASS for sanitary disposal. These are water birds, they eat in the water they hunt their prey in the water and they nest by the water. The water I am associated with most is the Rideau system and from ice out to ice in, there are non hunters travelling on the lakes and canal portions in boats. many with families, what will be the Provincial response when some of the pellets from a hunter strike the boats, or worse, the occupants? You do not have enough wardens now to do normal enforcement work, where are the extra wardens to police this shooting gallery that the Province now legitimizes and makes itself liable for the actions of the hunter's. I will be, I promise, one of the witnesses to any subsequent action against both the offending hunter (if he or she can even be found) and the Province for setting up and sanctioning this dangerous application of firearms to cull a bird population. The Province is assuming a liability contrary to the safety of the public.
On the Rideau System, 2018 marked the first year for the leBoat rentals and it promises to be a lucrative economy boost with European tourists. What happens when a visitor reports taking cover in the boat as shot gun pellets strike the boat and, hopefully fail to penetrate the hull to strike adults and children? Imagine the court case on that one, the Province complicit with dangerous pursuits. Even worse, the Province had other safer alternatives but chose 50 daily bag limits, no requirement to clean up the carcasses. Strong odds on hunters hitting Osprey and small Eagles or Hawks. A Loon with its neck stretched (as they like to do), looks like a cormorant!
Everything about this suggests a script written by the Ont. Federation of Anglers and Hunters and copied without change or safety concerns, by the Ministry into a Bill for the legislature. Are you really that desperate that you will circumvent basic hunter safety and prevention of injury, or death, to other waterway users? This is a new low in pandering to a small percentage of the voters for a questionable gain. The OFAH will not stand by you, the Province will wear to dirt from this decision.