This submission is made on…

This submission is made on behalf of Stinson's Bay Property Owners Association. Our names are Rod Martin and Bob Stewart, two of the several Directors of the Association. Our group fully supports the Government proposal regarding the hunting of cormorants and their designation as a game bird.
For the past decade, we have observed the destruction of Muskrat Island (formerly Grape Island) which is clearly visible from our shoreline on Sturgeon Lake. The rapid population explosion of the colony has put extreme stress on our fish population. The birds have a voracious appetite and we understand that each cormorant consumes close to its weight in fish each day. The cormorants form long ranks and drive the fish into shallow water where they dive on them. Several of our neighbours have found numerous dead fish floating on their shoreline, as a result of their encounters with the birds.
Trees and vegetation on the island have been destroyed by their toxic guano and the surrounding water has been degraded. Recently a young neighbour swam near the island and was hospitalized for about two weeks due to contact with the toxin, proving this is a serious health issue. We understand other methods of control such as oiling of eggs have been unsuccessful due to the aggressive nature of the birds. Other species have been driven from the island.
In our view, this s a very serious problem that requires an urgent response.