Science confirms O.F.A.H. push for cormorant culls

Science confirms O.F.A.H. push for cormorant culls

Independent, scientific confirmation of long-standing Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters’ calls for action to control cormorant overpopulation has come from the recommendations of the Presqu’ile Double-crested Cormorant Management Scientific Review Committee.

Recommendations to M.N.R. Minister Ramsay from a six-member committee of experts from the M.N.R., other government agencies, academia, and an independent research company, have just been released to the public.

Too many cormorants in Presqu’ile Provincial Park have resulted in a severely degraded environment, compromising important ecological, recreation and heritage values.

For several years, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) has been urging the government to cull cormorants in order to protect and begin restoring these important values. In 2004, the M.N.R. culled about 6,000 cormorants from the park.

The six-member scientific committee recommends that a further 5,500 cormorants need to be culled this year. Their preferred scenario includes the full suite of management actions currently available and appropriate for use at the park: egg oiling, nest removal, culling, and harassment. The O.F.A.H. is in complete agreement.

“We urge Minister Ramsay to act immediately upon these recommendations, and expand them to other areas in the province which are desperate for active culling of the overpopulation of cormorants, such as Midland, Orillia, Port Elgin, Honey Harbour, Parry Sound, North Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie,” added Mike Reader, O.F.A.H. Executive Director.

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Presqu’ile Provincial Park Double-crested Cormorant Management: Recommendations (PDF, 185 kb)