The Government of Ontario is…

The Government of Ontario is proposing a "hunt" of double-crested cormorants that could easily eradicate this important, ecologically beneficial native waterbird from most of the province.

The Government’s proposal would have numerous terrible consequences to wildlife and natural ecosystems in Ontario including, of course, the wholesale, uncontrolled, impossible to monitor, slaughter of cormorants.

The Government says it is responding to concerns about too many cormorants, depleted fish stocks and environmental damage. But those concerns are largely just anecdotes, complaints and unsubstantiated claims that were debunked long ago.

In reality, cormorants are not overabundant, their numbers are relatively modest, have stabilized and are dropping in some areas. The entire North American double-crested cormorant population is estimated to be less than the population of Toronto, with only about 125,000 birds in the lower Great Lakes. Cormorant numbers on the US-side of the border have already dropped (naturally) by 30% or more.

The Ontario governments proposal is not science or fact based. It is emotional and political and could result in wiping out cormorants in most of the province.

Please oppose this proposal. Thanks!