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Ashland Fishery Office, Iron River Hatchery Begin Cormorant Study at Grand Portage
Midwest Region, April 25, 2005
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Responding to concerns of the Grand Portage Natural Resources Department regarding the ecological impact of a new and growing cormorant colony in Pigeon Bay on Lake Superior, the Ashland Fishery Resources Office and the Iron River Nationa Fish Hatchery are providing assistance to design and implement a double-creasted cormorant (DCC) study. The DCC colony at Grand Portage has developed in the past 12-15 years and has virtually eliminated vegetation on the small islands (called the Boundary Islands) where they nest. The situation at Grand Portage is further complicated by the fact that the nesting colony is actually in Canadian waters. Tribal concerns focus on the impact of cormorants on the vegetation of the adjacent Susie Islands which are tribally owned and also used by the DCC's. Studies have shown that the Susie Islands support unique and fragile sub-artic plant communities. The tribe is also concerned with possible impacts on the native walleye, northern pike, perch, lake sturgeon and coaster brook trout populations of the Pigeon River.

On behalf of Grand Portage, Lee Newman of Ashland FRO has contacted Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources personnel and they have agreed to jointly explore the situation with the Tribe. He has also teamed with Grand Portage Tribal Biologist Ben Whiting to develop an innovative plan to gather information on the impact of DCC on native fish stocks. Under this plan, Iron River NFH personnel tagged 10,000, five-inch coaster brook trout at the Red Cliff Tribal Hatchery with coded wire tags (cwt). The tagged fish will be stocked at the mouth of the Pigeon River (about 0.5 mile from the DCC nesting colony). Tribal personnel will scan the DCC droppings for the cwt's in the nesting colony throughout the summer months to determine the impact of predation on this lot of fish. Results of the study may help to determine whether lethal control of DCC is needed in this situation.

Contact Info: Midwest Region Public Affairs, 612-713-5313, charles_traxler@fws.gov



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