I am quite familiar with the…

I am quite familiar with the problem double-crested cormorants pose on Lake Erie's islands, having done inventory studies of species-at-risk impacted by them for COSEWIC and Parks Canada; I have seen first hand how they have damaged and degraded SAR habitat, the reason Middle Island and East Sister Island were acquired by the federal and provincial governments [respectively] as nature reserves. I support controlled culling to help reduce their numbers and impact where they are a recognized ecological problem, but also I realize that maintaining healthy ecosystems and habitats are complex issues and the poor health of the lake system caused primarily by nutrient loading is a bigger problem that needs serious attention and solutions.

Allowing an open season by hunters on this migratory bird species is a simplistic and poor solution--and will likely be challenged in the courts. It is ill-advised and should not be permitted! An uncontrolled free-for-all hunt where the objective is just to kill as many birds as possible without any monitoring, protection of non-target birds at risk, or habitats where they are not an ecological problem, and letting the killed or wounded birds to 'spoil' is bad sportmanship, bad science and gives the wrong tone to the role of hunters in wildlife management and how to intelligently manage natural ecosystems. Drop this poorly thought out proposal! Consult with wildlife scientists to find a better solution!