Thank you for taking the…

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns with Bill 205, the proposal to establish a hunting season for the double -crested cormorant in Ontario.

As I understand it, this particular species of bird can certainly be destructive to trees and surrounding habitats, because of its acidic faeces. It is also a fairly messy bird, as it will vomit half eaten fish, after ingesting.

I also understand that these birds were once almost completely wiped out due to pesticide use in the 50's and 60's, and that great lengths were taken to bring the birds back from the brink of extinction in the Great Lakes area.

Upon hearing about the proposal to have a 292 day hunting season for these birds, beginning in March of this year until the end of 2019, with a daily 'bag' quota of 50, per small game card carriers, and an added ironic twist that negates the 'retrieval' of the carcass, I was in complete disbelief that such a proposal was allowed to be put forth. Why have such a long hunting season for these birds, especially during their nesting season? Why not see how the adult population has fared over the migratory winter, and after the mortality rate of the babies is better known, for the coming year?

With these absurdly high daily quota numbers, it is conceivable that the population of these birds presently in the 250,000 range, could be completely wiped out in one hunting season. I find that preposterous and highly irresponsible. We are already doing a good job of causing the extinction of many species around the planet. Please, let's not willfully cause the extinction of one more.

I understand the need for culling certain species of wildlife, if they are causing problems. I can see that the Cormorant is causing some problems in the Georgian Bay and surrounding 'cottage/boating' country, although it seems to be problems of inconvenience, aesthetics and infringing on the sport fishing industry, and not of a dire threat to any ecosystem or humans.

What I don't understand are three things:

1.) Why can't hunting time-frame for the cull be AFTER the mating/nesting season? Then hatchlings are able to take of themselves and not have to be subject a long and horrible death, when their parents are shot.

2.) Why 50 per day, per hunter? Why not a seasonal quota of 200, or something much more manageable and pragmatic? If a smaller quota shows that it hasn't affected the population in the first year, then the quota could be increased for the next season.

3.) If there is no retrieval and therefore no way to know who shot the bird, what is stopping anyone, with or without a license, to shoot these birds and potentially go OVER the already absurd daily quota, thus ensuring that these birds may very well face an endangerment to their species in this province?
Also, by not retrieving, the carcasses would be left to rot in the environment, which would fly in the face of lowering their numbers because of the rotting debris they can produce themselves. Not to mention, rotting bird carcasses in the hundreds could potentially lead to disease, of the water, the marine life and of other animals, namely, humans.

I would really like those involved to think hard and long about the numbers that are being put forth, AND the timing of the open season on Cormorants. It does not make sense at all. Please rework Bill 205, to lighten up the potential for mass slaughter.