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  The
Double-crested Cormorant is a colonial nesting species, the which occurs
in New York State on Lakes Erie, Ontario, Oneida and Champlain as well
as on Long Island. The Lake Ontario population increased through the 1950's
but declined in the 1960's and 1970's as did other piscivorous species
due to high levels of toxic contaminants in the food chain. Implementation
of water quality standards and pollution controls, and the resulting improved
water quality has in part allowed the Double-crested Cormorant population
to rebound. The number of breeding pairs went from a few hundred in 1970's
to more than 8,000 in 1997 according to the NYSDEC. Currently the largest
nesting colony is on Little Galloo Island west of Henderson Harbor on
the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. Concurrent to the rebounding of the
Double-crested Cormorant, was the beginning of the Lake Ontario salmonid
stocking program and the associated sport fishing industry. However, in
1992 Double-crested Cormorants were documented feeding on recently stocked
salmon in the Henderson Harbor area by a charter boat captain. This raised
concern among those whose income depends at least in part on the sport
fishery that the Double-crested Cormorant will be responsible for the
destruction of the sport fishery unless the NY State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC) implements a management program on the species.
A citizen's task force was convened in 1994 to develop management objectives
for the Double-crested Cormorant on Lake Ontario and Oneida Lake. The
task force, made up of individuals representing sport fishermen, tourism,
environmental and other stakeholders presented the NYSDEC with suggested
management objectives. To implement some management objectives the NYSDEC
must receive permits from the USFWS because the Double-crested Cormorant
is a migratory species and therefore protected under the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act, implemented by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The
NYSDEC has received permits based on task force recommendations to 1)
reduce cormorant competition with other nesting waterbirds particularly
the Common Tern on Oneida Lake, 2) to reduce cormorants at fish stocking
sites and 3) to prevent cormorants from expanding to islands other than
the main colony at Little Galloo. The NYSDEC had also changed its fish
stocking methods including offshore stocking, stocking earlier - before
cormorants arrive, and stocking inshore areas at night. Food habit studies
have been performed from 1992-1996 resulting in data showing that 80 percent
of the cormorant diet consists of forage fish (alewife) and pan fish (perch).
In addition, the USFWS is trying to involve Canadian officials in discussion
of cormorant populations regionally. Recently, Rep. John McHugh (R-NY)
and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) announced their intention to introduce
legislation establishing hunting seasons for Double-crested Cormorant
which they feel is necessary to prevent further damage to fish stocks
and associated fishing industries. Lobbying behind this effort is also
coming from the aquaculturists and catfish farmers in the southeast who
are economically impacted by fish eating birds - among them the cormorant.
Any decision to manage populations of Double-crested Cormorants should
be based on well-conducted scientific studies and should be assessed for
the benefits not only to the fisheries but also to the habitat and other
birds species. A full discussion of issues involving the entire Lake Ontario
system need to occur as changes in the water quality, fish populations,
and introduction of exotic species all influence the dynamics of the system
- including the human economics. Public officials have heard much from
the recreational fishing industry on this issue. They have not heard as
much from birders and wildlife enthusiasts. If you would like to impact
the decision-making process regarding the issue of Double-crested Cormorant
control please send your comments to the people listed below.
Congressman John McHugh 2441 Rayburn House Office Building Washington
DC 12248 PHONE(202) 225-4611 FAX (202) 226-0621
Assemblyman Michael Bragman LOB 926 Albany, NY 12248 PHONE (518) 455-4567
bragman@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Richard Brodsky LOB 625 Albany, NY 12248 PHONE (518) 455-5753
brodsky@assembly.state.ny.us
copy Ron Lambertson, Regional Director, USFWS 300 Westgate Center Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035-9589
and John Cahill Commissioner NYS DEC 50 Wolf Road Albany, NY 12233
Wednesday July 29, 1998 at least 850 dead cormorants were found on Little
Galloo Island, New York. Another 100 birds were either dead or dying.
Partially paralyzed chicks were euthanized by NYSDEC staff from Region
6 in Watertown. One pile of dead chicks contained 91 bodies. Buckets of
12 gauge shotgun shells were recovered at the scene. NYSDEC and USFWS
are investigating.
From
New York Birders - July 1999 "Cormorant Update"
Fines and home confinement sentences were given to ten
of the North County fishermen responsible for the killing of more than
850 Double-crested Cormorants on Little Galloo Island last July.
Sentencing will take place in August. In addition, the USFWS turned
down the NYSDEC's permit application to kill 300 adult cormorants this
summer for research purposes but did return a permit to allow oiling of
cormorant eggs during the 1999 nesting season. Oiling of eggs could
possibly prevent 90% of the eggs from hatching and thereby eliminate any
recruitment into the population for this year.
by Mary Alice Koeneke
March 7, 1999
Update
The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC) has released The Final Report: To Assess the Impact of Double-crested
Cormorant Predation on Smallmouth Bass and Other Fishes of the Eastern
Basin of Lake Ontario. This report was a co-operative effort of
the NYSDEC Bureau of Fisheries and the United States Geological Survey
Biological Resources Division. " The primary goal of the five-year
management plan is to improve the benefits people derive from Lake Ontario's
eastern basin ecosystem by:
- restoring the structure and function of the warmwater
fish community,
- reducing the negative impacts of double-crested cormorants
on nesting habitats and other colonial waterbird species,
- improve the quality of smallmouth bass and other fisheries,
and
- foster a greater appreciation for Great Lakes colonial
waterbird resources."
Four objectives have been determined to help accomplish
this goal:
- Increase the adult smallmouth bass population and associated
fishery by at least twofold from 1995-98 levels and enhance fishing
opportunities for other species.
- Develop management plans for Little Galloo Island WMA
and for the eastern basin so that local residents can benefit from one
of the largest colonial waterbird colonies in North America
- Maintaining and, where possible, improving upon actions/strategies
designed to limit double-crested cormorant predation on (stocked) salmon
and trout
- Limiting expansion of double-crested cormorant nesting
sites in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario in favor of nesting sites
for other water birds (e.g. black-crowned night heron, Caspian tern)
and to suppress double-crested cormorant impacts to vegetation on these
sites.
Four action alternatives are being considered to achieve
these objectives:
- Maintain current management which includes protection
of stocked fish, and preventing the establishment of new colonies of
double-crested cormorants;
- Management to improve the fishery at a moderate rate,
which might include reduction of nesting success techniques and harassment
of cormorants;
- Management for fishery recovery at a moderately fast
rate which might include the reduction of nesting success techniques,
harassment, and limited lethal control of double-crested cormorants,
and
- Management for rapid recovery of fish stocks, which
might include aggressive lethal and non-lethal control techniques on
double-crested cormorants.
A presentation of these objectives and action alternatives
was recently made at a Federation board of Directors meeting and although
the Federation officers and directors present at the meeting are sympathetic
to the problem at hand, no recommended alternatives/actions have been
endorsed by the Federation at this time. Full review of the report is
on going and if anyone is interested in receiving and commenting on the
report it can be obtained by contacting the NYSDEC, Division of Public
Affairs and Education, Region 6, Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington
Street, Watertown, NY 13601-3787. Phone: 315.785.2252 or the NYSDEC
website.
See the Feb 4, 1999 press
release about a recently released study and information about
how the NY DEC plans to proceed.
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