# Cormorants and Planters



## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

I went down to the Roy pond (urban fishery) last night to watch a few Scouts fish. A few Cormorants flew in. I watched one dive under bring up a planted rainbow, maybe 10 inches, and swallow it whole. Then it dove under again and brought up another one and ate it whole. Kind of fun to watch but the Scouts were not having that kind of success. I wonder how many fishies are eaten by those birds each day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIyMZNP7 ... re=related

It was like this video only the trout went down a lot quicker.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I don't know how many one bird can eat in a day, but on our pond they would fill up to the point they could not fly! They would clean out 300 planted fish in less than two days.
I think that is one reason the DWR started planting catfish rather than trout in the community ponds.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

HighNDry said:


> I I wonder how many fishies are eaten by those birds each day?
> 
> .


a special sportfish management plan was placed on Minersville Reservoir specifically because of cormorants. Cormorants outfish anglers 3:1 -- but they don't ever practice "catch and release".

Here is an article specifically on cormorants and their affects on sportfishing waters in Southern Utah (it is a bit large, so it might take a minute or two to load): 
https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/ojs/index.php/w ... e/518/1463

excerpt from article:

"Wasowicz (1991) estimated that cormorants consumed 9,900 (13%) of the 74,000 fingerling rainbow trout during a 2-week period following their stocking at Minersville Reservoir."

"the estimated consumption of catchable-size trout by loons and cormorants at Minersville in 1988 was greater than the estimated sportfish harvest by anglers."

2-weeks, 9,900 trout consumed. Cormorants were doing serious damage to that fishery.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Seems like a silly waste of money considering it would only cost $5.99 for a box of shotgun shells to take care of them all. Too bad that's not an option. I would like to see the DWR address this issue, even if it means removing problem birds.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Chaser -- you're talking about a migratory bird. UDWR couldn't address them as a "problem". You'd have to go through the Feds. (ie: if it were that simple, don't you suppose that the problem would have been remedied already?)


But, in the case of Minersville, a major part of the solution was to change the timing of the stocking. Now the fish are larger when the cormorants are here, and thus predation is lowered because the fish were given a longer period of time to reach a larger size prior to having the birds show up.


You should see the pelican issue they have at Strawberry when the cutts are spawning.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

To add to this.
The State has been working with the Feds to come up with some answeres to this problem.
Several of the Community Ponds that are having problems with Cormorants, have been given permission to haze the birds.
The DWR has issued RC Boats and guns that shoot loud pyro loads to the Communities to use.
The DWR has also installed artificial cover in these ponds, to help the fish hide from the birds.
I doubt that we will see an open season on Cormorants though.
Remember that these ponds are within city limits.

The birds are usually out of the area by late June, so it may be wise to do less stocking of the ponds until the birds have migrated out of the area.

One thing for sure, the problem gets worse every year.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

That's why I say its too bad its not an option. Its good to hear some things have been done, but I'm sure it gets almost as expensive to raise fish to larger sizes in order to combat the issue as it does to keep stocking fish.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Chaser said:


> ... I'm sure it gets almost as expensive to raise fish to larger sizes in order to combat the issue as it does to keep stocking fish.


Not necessarily. Sometimes, depending on strain of rainbow trout, you don't have to raise them to a larger size. Just stock at a different time of year:
Rainbow trout can be manipulated in the hatchery to spawn in both spring or fall. So fish can be stocked in the fall if necessary. The fish are still being stocked at 8-10". Stocking in the fall gives these fish a chance to grow to over 10" before the cormorants show up in the spring. It really isn't costing any additional money to stock these same fish in the fall vs. the spring. Obviously, raising fish to a larger size does cost more money -- but they aren't necessarily holding these fish over -- they're just starting them out at a different time. It would be like planting your corn in the fall, vs. the spring -- in 3 months, you've still got the same size plants (or fish).

Cormorants (or other pisciverous birds) can certainly be a big problem with trout. If you read the article, you'd notice that the birds actually prefer trout over other species of fish. They are definitely a concern. But they are also a very important part of an aquatic ecosystem. They do have a role that can't just be eliminated without some consequence.

the DWR does a good job with cormorant issues -- it's not a new issue. It's something that they have studied for a long time, and dealt with for a long time. From what Grandpa D posted, it sounds like they are already taking some steps in the case of the community ponds to help ensure a good fishery for all of us (including the birds!).


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

I've been wondering about this problem as it's affect on all fisheries/locations, not just the local spots questioned. There are a lot of plantings of trout and other species that might be affected. I have seen em on many, many areas and often wondered. Is this just a problem associated to planting or a general problem. If general, doesn't look like anything can be down. I have seen seen em on many rivers and lakes, i.e. Snake, Flaming Gorge and just accepted that it's the natural course of things. They will go after the easy stuff where thy happen to be.


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## nkunz (Sep 25, 2007)

I was at Farmington City Resevoir yesterday and counted at least 37 cormorants. It doesn't take that many birds to clean out a pond. As far as planting at a larger size, I think that is what the birds prefer. I have seen them easily swallow 10-12 inch rainbows.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I have even witnessed a Cormorant eat a 16"+ Catfish.
it took it quite a while to get it down. I was hoping that it would choke on it but it didn't.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

they'll (cormorants) be moving on north soon enough...


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Maybe we all ought to get R/C boats and chase them around a bit. :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: If they're always dodging boats they won't have time to chase fish.
SSS might be a little tough to accomplish.

Fishrmn


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

There were Cormorants at Meadow Creek Pond into July, last year.
That's why they were eating Catfish. The Trout were already eaten by then, so they had to move on the the frestly stocked Catfish.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

The Canadians a few years ago on their side of Lake Eire dealt with them. They had made a couple of small reefs lifeless with their guano. I think the Canadians said they were sorry when they pulled the triggers though.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:
 

> The Canadians a few years ago on their side of Lake Eire dealt with them. They had made a couple of small reefs lifeless with their guano. I think the Canadians said they were sorry when they pulled the triggers though.


Please explain.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Canada went in and eliminated them . In servere situations such as what the cormarants had caused on the very small islands on the Canadian side of Lake Eire they went in and shoot them- this was in the late 90's.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Packfish said:


> I think the Canadians said they were sorry when they pulled the triggers though.


Why would they feel sorry? I know a guy who would love the chance to build an incendiary device to eliminate any and all cormorants.

Fishrmn


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## UTEXPLORER (Jul 7, 2009)

They are devastating Glassmans right now. While I was fishing I counted 6 of them; just for fun I kept score between me and the birds. In a half hour span I witnessed 12 fish eaten, to the 3 I caught. I have seen them eat huge trout out of lake/pond in other states. I found these after quick search online.
[attachment=3:19c4brx7]bird3.jpg[/attachment:19c4brx7]
[attachment=2:19c4brx7]bird.jpg[/attachment:19c4brx7]
[attachment=1:19c4brx7]12005136-sm.jpg[/attachment:19c4brx7]
[attachment=0:19c4brx7]296212100_f12a51442a.jpg[/attachment:19c4brx7]


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## firemanbubba (Mar 6, 2009)

I drove by steeds pond on my way to work this afternoon and seen 20 of the birds on that little pond. I still think some better harrassing techniques need to be done with them. On friday morning while fishing Steeds the DWR came and started shooting them with paintballs filled with water. I was talking to him and he said they put down six the day before at Jensens pond. I understand they are migratory birds but thats what we have Farmington bay for. I like fishing these ponds with my fly rod when the rivers are blown out due to run off.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

In answering a question posted in another thread,
The UDWR in cooperation with Federal and Local Governments have targeted several Community Ponds for Cormorant control.
This is a multi tiered control measure to harass the birds and try to get them to leave the ponds.
Some of the measures used are RC Boats, noise including authorized pyro, and harassing the birds with rocks, slingshots and paintball guns.
When these efforts are exhausted and the birds still won't leave the pond, an authorized Federal Employee may use lethal force.
This is done as a last effort and only in very specific situations.
Only a few stubborn birds are targeted.
The UDWR isn't allowed to do this, only the Federal Employee.
This is done discreetly and only after all other efforts have failed in coaxing the birds to move on. [Cormorants are migratory and are usually gone by July]


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