Cormorant Blind on Little Pelican Island, Leech Lake
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Cormorant Kill Continues, Let's Not Stop Until the Job is Finished
The "cormorant reduction program" led jointly by the Minnesota DNR and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe continues. So far more than 2,000 birds have been killed. The plan is to leave 500 nesting pairs, which in my humble opinion, is a mistake. I say leave no nesting pairs on the lake at all!
Here are the facts. It took roughly eight years for the cormorant population to grow from 50 nesting pairs to 2,500 nesting pairs. At that rate of reproduction, the remaining 500 nesting pairs the DNR plans to leave on Leech Lake could become 25,000 nesting pairs by 2013. If we think we have a cormorant problem now, wait until we've got 50 times as many birds devouring walleye and perch as we do today.
We have a chance to get this infestation in check now. Let's not go half way. Just ask any of the Leech Lake resort owners if you question the extent of the devestation these birds are having on the local economy. Let's finish the job.
Here are the facts. It took roughly eight years for the cormorant population to grow from 50 nesting pairs to 2,500 nesting pairs. At that rate of reproduction, the remaining 500 nesting pairs the DNR plans to leave on Leech Lake could become 25,000 nesting pairs by 2013. If we think we have a cormorant problem now, wait until we've got 50 times as many birds devouring walleye and perch as we do today.
We have a chance to get this infestation in check now. Let's not go half way. Just ask any of the Leech Lake resort owners if you question the extent of the devestation these birds are having on the local economy. Let's finish the job.
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