Cormorants Management in the Beaver Island Archipelago 2010
Jeffrey F. Powers DVM President Beaver Island Wildlife Club
Whiskey Island
Statewide Cormorant Management Progress
• Overall statewide significant reduction in cormorant numbers
• Excellent rebound in Perch fishery in Les Cheneaux islands proven to be directly related to cormorant predation by MDNR biologist Dave Fielder, Upper Peninsula Sportsmen's Alliance identified cormorant management as a top priority
• 2009 – Establishment of a Statewide cormorant coordination committee by Michigan DNR, bringing together DNR, USDA-WS, leadership groups statewide, MUCC, tribal and other stakeholders– Provides better integration of resources– Identified the Beaver Island Archipelago as the number one area
to intensify control efforts– 2010 This group established a system to protect stocking sites
by informing local volunteers of DNR fisheries fish plants to provide protection for the stocked fish at these sites.
Cormorants Predatory to All Fish Species
Lake Geneserath Walleye 2010
Predatory on Inland and Great Lakes each bird consumes up to 1.5# fish per day
St James Harbor Small mouthed Bass Regurgitated
Lake Geneserath Bluegills
2009 Economic Impact of Cormorants Quantified
• Cormorant Damage cost the Oneida Lake Region in New York between 6 million and 33 million dollars in damage every year, and between 200 and 800 jobs per year•Cormorant control efforts brought a return to the local economy of between 15 to 40 dollars for every dollar spent on cormorant control•These control measures saved between 1500 and 5000 jobs from 1990 to 2005 in this region
Cormorant Management in 2010Key Points
• Overall a 40% reduction in cormorant nest counts from 11549 in 2006 to 6627 in 2010.
• Ability to egg oil Hat Island to achieve the largest single cormorant control measure event by oiling over 4500 nests, in total 7616 nests were oiled in the Beaver Island Archipelago.
• Expanding colony at Whiskey Island, commenced management now under local jurisdiction island is owned by St James Township
WS-MI DCCO removal 2010
Spring MigrationIndian Lk 49
Manistique Lk 4
S. Manistique 0
Beaver Isl. 11
Brevoort Lk 31
Les Cheneaux 41
Drummond 158
Grand Lk 2
Long Lk 26
Total = 322
Nesting colonies
Bays de Noc 1,201
Les Cheneaux 700
Thunder Bay 739
Beaver Is 3,779
Ludington 187
Total = 6,606
2010 Total 6,928 (9,518)
Nests oiled 9,056 (4,430)
Stocking Sites
Ausable River (SH) 0
Thunder Bay (BT) 0
Ocqueoc River (SH) 0
Total = 0
Hat Island pre cormorant InvasionIsland (1970’s) had a lush exterior and a central less forested area that had been used as a test site during WWII. Home to dozens of species of birds.
Hat Island 2010USDA-WS was given authority to access the island
being careful to avoid Caspian Tern colony
Island Vegetation destroyed due to cormorant waste
Cooperative Effort between USDA WS and local deputized volunteers
Other islands in the Archipelago
• Egg oiling and lethal control continued at Gull Island, Pismire Island and a limited amount of control began at Whiskey Island
Whiskey Island tree nests causing deforestation
Gull Island increase in tree nests
Concerns for Cormorant Control in 2011
• Federal funding for cormorant control in serious jeopardy in current budget discussions
• EA for Michigan will allow for a larger cormorant take (from 10,500 to close to 20,000 birds) however the resources to carry this out have not increased
• Hat Island has been closed out of 2011 cormorant control measures therefore severely limiting the ability to continue the level of control as directed by 2009 MDNR Cormorant coordination committee. Legislators should contact Mark Vaniman, Seney Wildlife Refuge Manager and ask him for the data to validate this measure.
• Whiskey Island may be being switched to state control and it will be imperative to grant permission to USDA-WS to continue control efforts on this island, as the colony is expanding with tree nesting cormorants
• Imperative that State officials take an active role in overseeing the continued progress in cormorant control measures to ensure that progress to date is not stalled, curtailed or reversed.
Cormorant Funding
• 2004 = $125,000 ($103,000)
• 2005 = $150,000 ($117,000)
• 2006 = $200,000 ($160,000)
• 2007 = $200,000 ($160,000) + $150,000 State MI
• 2008 = $160,000 ($120,000)
• 2009 = $148,000 ($111,000)
• 2010 = $148,000 ($111,000)
• 2011 = $148,000 ($111,000) +$20,000 State MI
• 2012 = GLRI funds?, USDA funds?, State funds?
Respectfully Submitted Jeffrey F Powers D.V.M.
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