I fully support this…

I fully support this proposal as Cormorant population over the Great Lakes area has increased exponentially over the last 30 years generally negatively impacting healthy fish stocks and vegetation in the Great Lakes basin.

The cormorant population on Lake Nipissing, as an example , has been estimated based on counting breeding nests by the OMNRF . Based on their published data in 2014 counted nests in 2011 approached 2800, an increase in counted nests over a 1993 count of less than a hundred. (source Fisheries Management Plan for Lake Nipissing - OMNRF 2014) . Assuming one mating pair per nest and a reasonable estimate of 1 pound of fish per day consumed (source US Fish and Wildlife Service) per bird over the summer period of 90 days gives a conservative estimate of 504,000 lbs of fish consumed yearly out of Lake Nipissing by Cormoronts. To put this in perspective this is over 3 times the amount of walleye currently removed by commercial fishing in this lake every year. This is a lake that has a severely declining walleye population largely dependent on the same food source over the same time period.

Population growth of cormorants need to be managed in specific areas where populations are left unchecked and fish species populations are at risk. Introducing a hunting season for this species can only improve fish populations in the Great Lakes Basin.