I am a hunter, trapper,…

I am a hunter, trapper, fisherman and farmer and therefore very much value the health of our ecosystem. Cormorants have and continue to devastate many areas of this province whether it be by killing entire islands or decimating fisheries they choose to colonize. The crash of baitfish populations such as Alewife on Georgian Bay have greatly affected the productivity of many waters. The loss of a fishery as great as the Chinook Salmon of Georgian Bay to such a worthless bird is very unfortunate. These birds have caused extensive damage to many fisheries in southern Ontario and they continue to spread as we are now seeing their numbers increase on Lake Abitibi as well in northeastern Ontario. If left unchecked they will decimate many more fisheries. I commend the Government of Ontario for this proposal, hope it does get entered into law and if it does that it brings this species back to within a more ecologically responsible population. If it does, consideration will need to be given on how to address the massive Lake Ontario/Hamilton Harbour colony as access for hunting them I believe is very limited if it exists at all.