Consultation on the Creation…

This proposal crosses a range of ethical, moral, legislative and aesthetic issues. It threatens public safety and tourism values along Great Lakes coastlines. It also goes against fundamental resource management principles.

This will become a “vigilante” action by a small segment of the population opposed to a specific native wildlife species.

This is not “hunting” per se, rather an “uncontrolled” kill of wildlife. It cannot even be considered a cull, which typically has some form of controls in place.

One of the key principles in hunting is to ensure against the spoiling of game. When we begin to make exceptions to this, in legislation, as well as the broader ethic and spirit of “sport” hunting, we are descending in our societal values.

This proposal is essentially saying that this species is “valueless”. This goes against principles and ethics of all wildlife having value, even if it is to be used, enjoyed or managed in some way.

Do we truly understand what we may be putting out of balance by such an act, when it is still not clear just how much sport fish that cormorants actually eat?

Managing cormorants should be addressed following the precautionary principle and ongoing adaptive management. Once legislation is revised to allow the “hunt” of cormorants, how easily can this be adjusted to respond to actual environmental criteria? Other means of managing the problem (culling, oiling or other methods) can be carried out in close concert with monitoring and the cormorant reduction can be adapted accordingly over time.

Urban areas will require other methods of control as they are in an area where hunting is not permitted. What about parks which do not permit this form of management through hunting? What about other parks where hunting is permitted—is there a potential conflict between the values and principles of provincial parks? Will this maintain or restore ecological integrity? Will this enhance heritage appreciation when park visitors get to sit by while others nearby are shooting birds?

Shooting cormorants throughout the summer months will be a potential conflict with other users—boaters, anglers, kayakers, naturalists out enjoying coastal areas. This may lead to safety issues in a season of heavy use and enjoyment by others. Beyond physical safety, there is a grave aesthetic issue if cormorant carcasses (up to 50 x number of hunters per boat, per day) are left along the shoals, islands and shorelines of the Great Lakes and inland waters. Businesses in the tourism sector such as lodges, parks, marinas and tour operators may be affected.

This is a short-sighted and mean-spirited approach to wildlife management. It demeans the principles of hunting, the role of governmental control in resource management, and can be seen as a cheap and easy means of dealing with a problem. The image of “hunters” working through a colony of nesting birds, shooting birds at various life stages, will be a blight on all society. We are deputizing vigilantes to go about the business of cormorant management as they see fit.