How might cormorants benefit game fish?
• Impacts on fish populations in small systems versus large systems. • Clarify differences in impacts on simple versus complex systems. • Lack understanding of impacts to fish populations. • Understanding mortality attributed to DCC as a component of the total. • Is DCC-caused mortality additive or compensatory? Note: The group did not attempt to differentiate between problems that are real vs. perceived. SCOPE • Cormorant predation on stocked fish is a concern in Eastern Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain and Oneida Lake, and in lakes with landlocked salmon in New Hampshire. • Concern regarding game fish in Long Island Sound, Massachusetts, Rhode Island (northeast coast) winter flounder: species is under restoration efforts. • Smallmouth Bass in Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River. • Walleye in Oneida Lake. • Growing DCC populations create potential for concerns in many other waters. • Atlantic Salmon in coastal rivers, Connecticut River, Northeast Region coastal rivers. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? •
