Bill 205, Fish and Wildlife…

Bill 205, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (Double-crested Cormorants)

I am writing this letter in response to the proposal of listing Double-crested Cormorants as a game bird in Ontario. I believe that the concerns raised by some parties (ie. the commercial fishing industry, anglers, hunters and private landowners) are unwarranted and unsubstantiated.

It is well known that the species suffered a massive decline due to DDT use from the 1950’s to the 1970’s and have since come back from the brink of extirpation. It is suggested that now the number of cormorants is increasing beyond reasonable capacity and that these numbers are negatively affecting Ontario’s fish stocks.

However, the numbers are currently leveling, and in fact, display moderate decline. As for effecting the fishing industry, there is no evidence that Cormorant prey heavily on our ‘game’ fish. Evidence instead suggests that the vast majority of their diet is on cyprinids and other littoral, forage species.

Turning the Double-crested Cormorant into a huntable species will require unnecessary revision of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (1997) as well as require the alteration of wanton waste laws, which have long been a safeguard of ethical hunting throughout the province.

As for private landowners; Cormorant’s guano is known to harm trees and plants, specifically when the birds congregate in large numbers. So it is understandable that the land owners are concerned for the overall health of their property. However, landowners already have the right to act in protection of their land from potential ‘pests’. As such there should be no need for further legislation involving private land.

Double-crested Cormorants have long been a native of Ontario’s waters and have suffered at human hands before. Now that they have finally reached a recovered level there is no need to further persecute these animals. Why change regulations in order to hunt an animal that has never proven to be detrimental to our environment, and has no harvestable benefit to the parties involved? It is time to stop using our wild species as scapegoats in the decline of Great Lakes fisheries.

Thank you for the consideration,