I am an outdoorsman and have…

I am an outdoorsman and have been exploring Ontario waterways for over 50 yrs. I spend a lot of time in small inaccessible lakes in central and northern Ontario. Where one never saw a cormorant in these waters 15yrs ago, now they are there and in concerning numbers. Though I cannot prove the link between their presence and drop in fish density, it has occurred and been dramatic. I also do not know if this expansion is due to a growing population or declining fish stocks in their traditional waters, but the impacts are undeniable and need to be addressed. I can remember in the 60s, hearing this very topic being discussed by a group "elderly" residents in the Parry Sound area and they said the commercial fishermen used to control the population by destroying the eggs on nesting islands as well as the many birds getting entangled in the nets. They claimed the population started to grow unchecked when the commercial fishing stoped in the area. This is no different than the deer culls in Provincial parks or bird culls around beaches or airports. To maintain the ecosystem, this species must be kept in check. Whether the government does it directly via egg control or downloading to the hunting public makes no difference to me, as long as it is fixed.