I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s (MNRF) proposal to establish a hunting season for the Double-crested Cormorant in Ontario.

I am a conservation biologist and have worked with a number of national conservation organizations over the past 30 years and do not see any scientific justification for this proposal. The impact on both populations of Double-crested Cormorants and other native bird species will be significant, especially other colonial-nesting waterbirds with nests and foraging habitat in the vicinity of the cormorants.

Eliminating a native species from Ontario, which this extraordinary hunting proposal would have the potential to achieve, is completely incongruous with regards to MNRF’s obligation to properly manage and steward our native wildlife resources. This proposal completely lacks scientific merit or credibility and is clearly pandering to the recreational and sport fishing community that perceives this bird as a threat (inadequately documented) to their activities.

Please do not proceed with this ill-advised proposal.