I am writing in response to…

I am writing in response to the request for comments on ERO 013-4124, the proposal to list the double-crested cormorant as a game bird.

I am very opposed to this proposal. I believe that it will cause huge devastation to a bird species with major negative impacts on biodiversity and the environment in general.

The proposal states that there are concerns by “some groups that cormorants have been detrimental to fish populations, island forest habitats, other species as aesthetics”. However, there is no real analysis provided to confirm any aspect of this and certainly no analysis about the need for any of the actions in the proposal. Logically, the only response that we should be doing about these concerns is validating how real they are, performing proper scientific and environmental analysis, and determining a course of action based on the results of proper analysis.

Double-crested cormorants are native to Ontario and an integral part of our province’s biodiversity. Contrary to what the proposal states, cormorants are an ecologically beneficial species, being major predators of invasive fish species. So, in fact, they are aiding us in this regard and we should not hamper that. The entire population of cormorants in Ontario currently is not huge at all, with estimates of around 250,000 in the entire Great Lakes Basin, a huge area, not all of which is in Ontario.

The proposal as it stands is just insane in my view, incredibly cruel to a native animal, with no thought to the devastation that would be created. With the proposed new limits, it would not take very long to wipe out the whole population. The correct course of action is to do a proper and transparent scientific analysis before taking any other action.