The Georgian Bay Association…

The Georgian Bay Association (GBA) is an umbrella organization for 19 cottage associations along the east and north shore of Georgian Bay. We have been advocating on behalf of our ~3,000 land-owning members for over 100 years. Our mandate is to work with our water-based communities and other stakeholders to ensure the careful stewardship of the greater Georgian Bay environment. We estimate that our reach extends to approximately 18,000 individuals, who are primarily Georgian Bay seasonal and permanent residents.

Although we would normally agree with any action that protects fish populations, Georgian Bay Association is opposed to this proposal and recommends that, before taking any action with regard to controlling cormorant populations, a study needs to be done to:
A) determine the impact that cormorants have on the native fishery; and
B) if this shows that culling is necessary, make recommendations on the most viable method of reducing the cormorant population.

We make this recommendation because, at present:
- No study has been done establishing a causal link between cormorant numbers and declines in fish populations;
- There are different opinions on whether a cull as proposed will or will not achieve the objective of reducing cormorant numbers, therefore other options should be examined;
- There are numerous concerns around the indiscriminate nature of this proposal, including:
public safety (e.g. shooting at low flying birds from boats);
potential harm to scavengers from consuming the discarded carcasses (cormorants are apex
predators that bio-accumulate toxins); and
cormorants are known to consume round goby, an invasive species.

Therefore, initiating a cull, as proposed, before carrying out such a study is irresponsible, and unlikely to achieve the main objective of protecting fish populations.

Please consider these issues before making a decision.

Yours respectfully,
Rupert Kindersley
Executive Director, Georgian Bay Association
www.georgianbay.ca