While I applaud a positive…

While I applaud a positive step in recognizing the need to control cormorant populations I feel that creating a hunting season is not sufficient by itself to provide effective control of the incredibly large flocks that are currently experienced, in my case, in the Lake Nipissing area. I have been active on the Lake for over 40 years and have seen the expansion of their flocks from zero over several decades to hundreds in single sightings. I also have observed that hunting these birds will prove to be somewhat difficult in that they do not decoy effectively and immediately move to different locations with boat activity. Hunting will be principally limited to shoreline stalking and taking several birds from a flock of hundreds provides very low rates of reduction. I would also like to mention this places the onus of reduction on the general population at individual expense (as you are no doubt aware of the cost of steel or equivalent shot, not to mention firearms).. I would like to question why the MNR is not more proactive in this issue and why, for instance, the "oiling " of cormorant eggs is not a useful additional tool in conjunction with the hunting proposal?
The need to control these sizeable flocks from an environmental point of view is also apparent from my perspective when one observes the guano covered rock islands in the vicinity and intuitive water quality impacts from runoff in the vicinity of these nesting sites. Impacts on fish fry also cannot be discounted from their large scale feeding habits. In conclusion I support a hunting proposal but feel that is insufficient in and of itself. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.