Commorant Q & A.

[Walleye Express]

Something needs to be done about all the commerants in the Sebewaing River. Hundreds and hundreds.

Paul.

Paul.

I'll e-mail my DNR biologist bud about your question. Capt. Dan

Here's his answer:

Dan.

Cormorants are migrating through on their way to there nesting rookeries many of which are here in Michigan. Yes they will feed on spawning perch along the way and while nesting. The scale of the problem depends on the location. Its been a big problem in places like the Les Cheneaux Islands and some others. Its less significant in other locations. Authority to control and manage cormorants lies with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2003, they established a "Public Resource Depredation Order" which extended control options to state DNRs, the USDA's Wildlife Services office, and Federally recognized Native American Tribes. Since then, cormorant control has been implemented in some places around the Michigan water's of the Great Lakes; most notably the Les Cheneaux Islands, Thunder Bay (Lake Huron), St. Marys River, Beaver Islands, Bays de Noc, and Ludington. All of these are being carried out by the USDA's Wildlife Services office of Michigan except the St. Marys River which has been a tribal effort. The Michigan DNR has partnered with the USDA's Wildlife Services to provide much needed fisheries evaluation of effects/benefits. The USDA Wildlife Services has also implemented a harassment program on some inland and Great Lake locations to try and discourage cormorants from preying on spawning fish (like perch) during the spawning period. Those operations depend on volunteers to assist under the authority of the USDA Wildlife Services.

The Public Resource Depredation Order established in 2004 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was in response to their studying of the cormorant situation nationwide. In that study they considered but rejected a public hunting season opting instead for the PRDO authority of the states, USDA, & Tribes. The PRDO is in the process of being renewed right now. Its not expected to be changed in any significant way.

Bottom line; cormorants are a real issue but they are not the only issue we face in trying to generate good fishing and they are often not the biggest issue. Most of the control taking place is still in the early stages and benefits are not yet widely known (places like Beaver Islands, Bays de Noc, Thunder Bay, Ludington). In the Les Cheneaux Islands, its widely considered that control there contributed significantly to the recovery of that local perch fishery. It was extensively studied.

[Boltman]

What's a commarant? I'm sorry i don't know, but.....

[Walleye Express]

A bird that was once on the endangered specie list but now has come back in such numbers it is eating many perch populations into their own endangered species list. Click on link.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/id

[Rayman96]

The Canadian government has scheduled a mass culling of the birds on Middle Island, a small island in Lake Erie and part of Point Pelee National Park, to begin as early as April 2008. This is an attempt to keep the small island in balance and preserve its vegetation, but opponents to he plan have pointed out that it is based on faulty information, provided in part by anglers who view cormorants as competitors. A website has been set up to provide information on the birds and plan as well as to prompt visitors to provide feedback and compel the Minister of Environment to put a stop to the planned slaughter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-crested_Cormorant

The elimination of DDT, has increased their rate of reproduction and being protected allowed uncontrolled reproduction. Also they are not native to the Great Lakes area, but the introduction of alewife provided them with their favorite food source. When the alewife declined, they shifted to our favorite sportfish.

[ara]

http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/cormorantobs/