Damn cormorants!

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by pipco

Cormorants will elimate trout much quicker and with more efficiency than loons, herons or osprey.

They were an issue years ago in Lakeland ( now Lac La biche ) county as Drewski Canuck mentioned. They are an issue again. There and in other regions.

Lets hope the government steps in and starts to reduce their numbers.

The collapsed or depleted fisheries don't need these highly efficient predators along, with drought, habitat loss and other factors putting further pressure on Alberta's lakes and other water bodies.

Take a moment or two and write the new minister of Environment and Parks.

Jason Nixon

https://www.alberta.ca/environment-and-parks.aspx


Maybe a petition could be started and sent to his office?

Stan

Agreed, people wouldn’t like them so much if they showed up in their own family trout pond.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Mumbles

Guys these birds have been around forever & wildlife have high and low cycles in their populations. These birds have more right to any of these fish than any of us greedy Albertans have, we’l just have to learn to live with them.
Kind of remind me of the idiots in BC that think Pikeminnow are invasive and kill all their trout and salmon off by eating eggs, even though they’ve been around since the ice ages.

Yup, low cycle from 20-30 years ago was just about right.

Now, they just need to help to lower the population of them again.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Mumbles

Kind of remind me of the idiots in BC that think Pikeminnow are invasive and kill all their trout and salmon off by eating eggs, even though they’ve been around since the ice ages.

Yes, and not to mention the armchair experts on here who believe the walleye in Pigeon are eating all the whitefish eggs.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by thumper

In Ontario, cormorants are causing so much damage that the province is trying to remove their 'protected migratory bird' status, and open a spring hunting season on them - 50 birds/day! "As it is written, the Ford government's plan would allow hunters to kill as many as 50 cormorants per day."

I was just in Burlington ON, along the Lake Ontario shoreline, and it's just constant skeins of cormorants, thousands of birds, flying just off-shore. They far outnumber every other bird there.

I've read that in the UK they have become numerous enough that they are recognized as a problem for gamefish in some areas. Not sure if they've implemented an action plan or not.

[BPman]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Well

since you asked, in the winter months down south, Gators.

LLB put a Styrofoam gator in its trout pond a number of years back. It kept the Cormorants at bay.

As to what works up here, I do not know.

Drewski

Gator "decoys" disincentivize both cormorants and pelicans. Three years ago I made up 4 of 12' long gators using 2" blue foam fastened to 3/4" marine plywood then all painted flat black like a real gator. Then added 2" diameter red reflectors (Princess Auto) for eyes. It was actually enjoyable watching those fish thieves flare away when they spotted the gators on our trout pond. The decoys did not scare every pelican and cormorant but greatly reduced the numbers that landed on our pond. I anchored each one on a long enough tether that they would move freely in the wind so as to not remain in the same place and orientation all the time.

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by BPman

Gator "decoys" disincentivize both cormorants and pelicans. Three years ago I made up 4 of 12' long gators using 2" blue foam fastened to 3/4" marine plywood then all painted flat black like a real gator. Then added 2" diameter red reflectors (Princess Auto) for eyes. It was actually enjoyable watching those fish thieves flare away when they spotted the gators on our trout pond. The decoys did not scare every pelican and cormorant but greatly reduced the numbers that landed on our pond. I anchored each one on a long enough tether that they would move freely in the wind so as to not remain in the same place and orientation all the time.

Funny how they stay away from your gators. Must have seen some of their buddies get nailed. Another great way to keep them from eating your fish, is a 22/250.

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Well

since you asked, in the winter months down south, Gators.

LLB put a Styrofoam gator in its trout pond a number of years back. It kept the Cormorants at bay.

As to what works up here, I do not know.

Drewski

Well if they become properly conditioned a styrofoam replica of an old grey haired guy in a beat up sports pal canoe.

I've actually had the privilage of fishing from that canoe!

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Yes, and not to mention the armchair experts on here who believe the walleye in Pigeon are eating all the whitefish eggs.

I thought they just ate the whitefish?

Lake is not even close to what it was 30-40 years ago. The size of the whitefish is excellent but nobody is catching them other than a few guys that have specialized. That lake used to be packed full of whitefish.