The proposal for…

The proposal for establishing a hunting season for Double-Crested Cormorants during the breeding season and promoting the spoilage of killed birds is unethical and not based in science. Not only will the killing of adult birds around colonies during the breeding season leave chicks to slowly starve to death, but it would also disrupt the breeding of other birds including terns and herons. Left to rot carcasses could create an unpleasant smell for those with cottages on a lake as well as at any beaches dead birds wash up on.

The proposed hunting season for Cormorants is nothing more than a scapegoat as documented impacts (to fisheries, island areas) tend to be isolated. It would be narrow minded to think that negative impacts to commercial and sport fish populations are impacted solely by Cormorants alone, especially since they are among many fish eating bird species. It is also well known that fish populations are heavily impacted from pollution, overfishing, poor water quality, invasive species, and destruction of spawning habitat. Heck, even sport fishing pressure can change fish behaviour on lakes. Studies have documented that Cormorant diets include large amounts of non-native invasive fish species in areas where they are plentiful, including Round Goby and Alewives.

Although it may seem like Cormorants are invading into more northern areas, it is important to consider: A. that the population is stabilizing from the last decline and back into extirpated areas; and B. they have been documented breeding as far as Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada before persecution and widespread pesticide use significantly dropped their numbers.

For the above reasons, the best course of action would be to reduce human impacts to aquatic ecosystems, reduce fishing pressures where needed, and conduct further research on the interaction of Cormorants with their environment.