You're not likely to hear about it in the news media. It's already
become routine. You will search the Ohio Division of Wildlife site in
vain for many updates on their projects involving birds, but prominently
absent is any mention whatsoever that ODW continues to shoot
double-crested cormorants off nests, more than 3500 of them this spring.
        They killed--excuse me, culled--more than 5800 nesters in 2006. Does
this year's reduced number represent success for the project? I doubt
it, but finding out is tough. Helpful Federal employees tell me the
recommended way to get information from Fish & Wildlife or the
Department of Agriculture (both agencies are involved) on this topic is
to file a Freedom of Information Act request---the same thing you'd use
to compel them to give you a copy of your FBI file with all those
blacked-out sections. Why don't they just put this stuff on the Web?
Would they run out of space? You tell me.
        The lead agency involved, APHIS, was able to send me their report on
last year's activities, but a report on 2007 will not be out until next
April. One of its conclusions (p. 3) is that "CDM [Cormorant Damage
Management] activities in Ohio did not have a cumulative adverse impact
on the DCCO [double-crested cormorant] population."  The ODW is quoted
in last year's Environmental Assessment that Ohio hosted between 5000
and 6000 cormorant nests in 2005 (p. 19). If 5800 nesters were shot last
year, it's hard to imagine anything but an adverse impact. Perhaps equal
numbers returned in 2007, despite drastically curtailed reproduction on
Ohio sites. In this case, one wonders why continued culling was
approved, since it obviously failed to control the numbers of cormorants
nesting in the state. Aren't they shooting for an adverse impact on Ohio
DCCO populations?
        If anyone has more reliable information, or a suggestion on how to get
some without twisting bureaucratic arms, let us know. In the meantime,
it seems this effort to control nesting cormorants in Ohio by simply
shooting them every time they show up is likely to go on for a long long
time.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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