This proposal to allow…

This proposal to allow cormorant populations to be managed is long overdue. We have seen a thriving small mouth bass sport fishery crash in a few short years. The average number of bass caught has declined drastically in this time along with a great reduction in smaller, younger fish. Bass, and other species, have altered their habitat behaviour in response to the greatly increased predation pressure from the over-abundant cormarant population. In several locations along the shoreline, the treelines are being destroyed where large colonies of cormorants roost. The eastern portion of Gravelly Bay in Port Colborne is completely polluted in the warmer months due to the enormous volume of excrement from these birds. The water is discoloured to an opaque green and the odour spreads for over a kilometre. The negative environmental and monetary impacts of this situation need to be addressed promptly. If any impact can be hoped to be achieved, the large daily limit, no possession limit AND ammendment to allow the carcasses to be discarded is integral to the proposed plan.