We are strongly opposed to…

We are strongly opposed to the proposal to establish a hunting season for Double-crested Cormorants in Ontario. It is an unprecedented slaughter that has no place in modern times – rather it is a throwback to another century when, out of ignorance, entire species were annihilated.

The concern expressed by commercial fishing interests is not supported by science-based evidence. Through careful analysis, the Canadian Wildlife Service has repeatedly found that only 2% of Cormorant’s diet consists of commercially valuable species. In fact, Cormorants are beneficial because their diet consists of very large numbers of primarily invasive fish, such as alewives and round gobies. It is the commercial fisheries in Lake Erie and other lakes that are depleting fish populations, not Cormorants.

Cormorants are not overabundant in the Great Lakes. In fact, their numbers are modest, now stabilized and dropping in many areas.

With respect to the impact that Cormorants have on vegetation, we must keep in mind that these are natural processes, as colonial water birds, like other species, do impact their environment. This dynamic process is part of all ecosystems. In fact, on viewing the vegetation on islands in the Great Lakes, you can see this evolution. Although some trees die, the bird’s nutrient-rich guano results in new plant and animal life. Just because it looks different, does not mean there is a problem, in fact this is normal, ecosystems are not static, they do change and evolve.

Instead of making cormorants a scapegoat for environmental problems they have nothing to do with, attention should be given to addressing the issues that actually do affect fish populations and aquatic environments, such as climate change, pollution, shoreline and habitat destruction, over-fishing and a broad range of other issues.

The proposed “hunt” will cause unimaginable cruelty by allowing the wholesale, uncontrolled slaughter of cormorants across the province, wounding adults and leaving young in the nests to suffer and die. It will be repugnant to the vast majority of Ontario residents and should not be the reputation the current Ontario Government wants as its legacy.