The Ontario Commercial…

The Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association (OCFA) represents the interests of the commercial fishery, both fishermen and fish processors, on the Great Lakes in Ontario.

The double-crested cormorant has undergone a population explosion in Ontario, and its numbers and range continue to expand. Its ecological impact is profound, and includes heavy predation on fish stocks and the destruction of habitat on which other wildlife depend. In addition to the serious destruction of vegetation that unchecked populations of cormorants have caused, cormorants have very seriously depleted certain fish stocks in the commercial fishing industry on the Great Lakes. Cormorants eat approximately 1 lb. of fish each, per day.

The OCFA has been concerned about the significant negative impact of uncontrolled populations of cormorants on the commercial fishery and the ecosystem for many years. We applaud this government’s proposal to take action on controlling damaging cormorant populations. Our position has not been to seek the extinction of cormorants from Ontario but for the management of cormorants to provide for a sustainable fishery and balanced ecosystem.

While the OCFA recognizes that there is a need to balance competing interests and to continue studying the ecological impacts of cormorants, there is a need to do something now to protect the environment and the livelihood of the commercial fishing industry, particularly in areas where cormorants have devastated wildlife habitat and the fish population. The overpopulation of cormorants continues to decrease benefits, and increase costs associated with fisheries and terrestrial ecosystem values. This government’s proposal is a positive move in the right direction.

The OCFA also encourages the development of an inclusive comprehensive management plan for cormorant control that would include all possible tools and management strategies to control harmful cormorant populations to protect the fishery and ecosystem.