Double-crested Cormorant…

Double-crested Cormorant Hunting Season

ERO # 013-4124

I am writing to express my strong concerns about this proposal.

First of all I wish to make it very clear that I am not opposed to hunting practised in a sustainable manner. I grew up in a hunting culture and continued to purchase an Outdoors Card and hunt for many years. I have family and friends who continue to participate in this pursuit and with whom I speak with interest about their hunts.

There are a number of things that are concerning about this proposal.

Hunters could allow cormorants to spoil! This is an unethical and unprecedented hunting practice.
A bag limit of 50 cormorants per day with no possession limit combined with the provision to allow cormorants to spoil, is not a value associated with traditional hunting. Allowing such a practice will make all ethical hunters appear to be inhumane and create a much more negative feeling towards hunting in the eyes of the growing numbers of non-hunters. The long-standing practice of hunting for food while showing respect for the life of other beings is totally absent in this proposal.
This proposal promotes a shooting/killing mentality. It does not promote respect for the life of other animals nor respect for the safety of others who may be nearby. It is irresponsible for the government to promote such a public slaughter that once begun may be difficult to stop.
Because the carcasses have little or no value to the shooter, and because they may be allowed to spoil, shooters will feel very little obligation to retrieve their dead or dying victims. Therefore a bag limit means nothing. Large numbers of carcasses will be left to rot or wash up on beeches, used by others, possibly creating health hazards and ethical issues.
Since cormorants are colonial nesters and since they nest along with a number of other colonial nesters and island-nesters and since the proposed hunting season includes the nesting season, numerous non-targeted species will be affected. Some will be shot accidentally, some shot intentionally and some will have their nesting season interrupted and their young perish. I realize the proposal has this concern covered because shooters will be “reminded to avoid conflicts with migratory game birds and other waterbirds”. What wishful thinking this is! Once this killing-field style of massacre is allowed it will attract the attention of those who know nothing of the other species which live in close proximity with the target species.

If Double-crested Cormorants require a management strategy, this one has far too many flaws and raises too many concerns. Bag limits, length and timing of season, allowing carcasses to spoil, shooting from stationary motor boats are all concerns. Adding to these concerns it that this will appeal only to those shooters who want to fire at anything that moves. This attitude brings with it many safety concerns.

I request that this proposal be withdrawn so research on effective and safe procedures for culling this species can be conducted. If and when a cull is needed a much more respectful plan must be implemented.