As a resident of the…

As a resident of the Thousand Island area, it is distressing to see the damage that the Double Crested Cormorant has done to some of our beautiful islands. As a heritage area and a popular tourist destination, we find it quite horrifying that up until now there has been no method of control for these birds. While the City of Brockville has, for the last few years, been controlling Canada Geese, it seems their hands are tied when it comes to the Cormorants.

Apart from the destruction of the McNair Group of islands to the east of the city, there is of course the smell and more distressing is the lack of small fish, or any fish at all that we can see from our dock. At one time there was an abundance of minnows but that is no longer the case. Although the birds seem solitary when they hunt, we often see them in large groups between our shore and the islands.

Take trip up the river from Brockville to Gananoque and you will see how the birds are moving from island to island to establish new colonies. We understand that it is legal to shoot them if and only if they are on your own property but let's face it, this is not America, we don't all have guns and it would be irresponsible for the average homeowner to be out shooting randomly at birds given the number of boaters, and tourists in the area at any given time.

I am extremely in favour of a responsible cull, but it needs to be a cull that makes a considerable difference.