Cormoramt Comments

The recent comment about cormorants brings to mind recent discussions with northwestern Ontario Ministry officials about these birds. While largely recognized as a real threat to fish populations in certain U.S. locales - Leech Lake, eastern Lake Ontario, for example - the Ontario position is that cormorant predation is not a viable threat to fish populations...and specifically in the northwestern region of the province.

In recent years, we are amazed at times at the size of the yellow perch we are seeing at Witch Bay and I have made reference to them in the annual Fishing Report published every year in the Witch Bay brochure....and walleye population are directly linked to yellow perch in a predator-prey relationship. One researcher stated it bluntly - "Yellow perch drive the walleye eco-system"...a comment which reflects on the necessity of having juvenile yellow perch as prey for large walleye fingerling as well as adult fish. Additionally, recent quotes from researchers note that LOTW yellow perch populations are in excellent shape.

Back to cormorants for a final comment. There is virtually no research available on their potential impacts on a fishery of the size of Lake of the Woods...and we must remember they are part of a system which includes other winged predators - pelicans, gulls, terns, etc. Does this answer the question about impacts on yellow perch...Not at all. But my records indicate that back in the early 1990's we rarely saw a "jumbo" perch at Witch Bay...and, in fact, most were very small that pecked at our jigging presentations. Today's size range is amazing...and let's enjoy them!
Russ Warye