Re: Proposal to Establish…

Re: Proposal to Establish Hunting Season for Double Breasted Cormorants in Ontario

The proposal is premature.

The proposal does not read like the priority intention is to establish a hunting season on principles of good management and natural balance but rather an attempt to get rid of a perceived nuisance due to complaints primarily by fishing INDUSTRY and property OWNERS. Acknowledging that large successful numbers of the bird in colonies could have measurable impacts on ecological systems, a management approach may be warranted only when other contributing factors are also considered. For example, urban development encroaching into natural areas that should have been protected, or, designated natural areas like provincial parks used by people beyond the carrying capacity of the park and the ecological systems that should function there.

The fact that the bodies of dead birds would be permitted to rot and not be harvested (the real definition of the word harvest) tells me very clearly the proposal is poorly conceived. And, the Ministry should be concerned about how the proposal would impact its public image and reputation among the general public.

And, the double breasted cormorant is a native bird species ... so where are the natural wild predators of this bird? What else have humans done to interfere with the natural balance to date? Something does not add up. It remains unclear what the unintended consequences of the proposal might include.