ALPENA — During the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources meeting in Alpena Monday a lot was discussed about the damage cormorants have on communities that depend on fishing as a source of tourism.

There were some figures presented by the four witnesses at the hearing that show how harmful the migrant birds are to fisheries, as well as examples of how businesses can collapse if the fish disappear.

According to Michigan Department of Natural Resources-Fisheries Lake Huron Basin Coordinator Randell Claramunt there are three types of fisheries in the state — commercial, recreational and tribal — that are valued at more than $7 billion annually and support 75,000 jobs. He said the damage caused by the birds can cause extensive damage to the businesses and the state supports regulation that would allow states to implement both lethal and non-lethal tactics to address the large population increase of cormorants that make lengthy stops in Michigan while migrating.

Claramunt said cormorants have an insatiable appetite for fish and that an adult bird can consume 1.3 pounds per day. Each bird typically stays in its roosting area for 150 days each year and a successful nest requires 70 pounds of fish over a breeding season. He said if there are 100 cormorant nests in near proximity of one another, it could lead to 46,000 pounds of game fish being eaten by the predatory birds. Claramunt said those numbers likely are much higher now that it appears the seasonal population of cormorants has increased into the millions.

“Cormorants certainly have a direct impact on fisheries resources because of the amount and rate they consume fish,” Claramunt said.

One business owner who saw firsthand the impact cormorants can have is Mark Engle. His family has owned a cabin resort between Hessel and Cedarville near the Les Cheneaux Islands that is rented to people who want to fish for perch and pike.

Engle said in the late 1980s he began to notice an increase in the number of cormorants and in the next decade that population exploded. It was soon afterward that perch fishing went sour and local businesses noticed a significant decrease in visitors.

“It became common to see flocks of 500 or more birds feeding daily in the perch breeding areas and eventually the entire perch population crashed,” Engle said. “Our resort suffered and other businesses struggled. Some bait shops closed, some resorts closed, fishermen canceled reservations and our busy season basically became void of.customers.”

He said then U.S. Fish and Wildlife allowed implemented population control measures that allowed states oversight and stakeholders tools they needed to combat the growing cormorant population. Engle said it didn’t take long until it was noticeable that there weren’t as many cormorants migrating to the area.

“The fisheries began to rebound and the local economy began to recover,” he said. “Fishermen and visitors returned and businesses improved.”

Now the Les Cheneaux area is at risk again because of a Supreme Court for the District of Columbia ruling that ended the population control measures because the cormorant is listed in the birds covered in the Migratory Birds Act of 1918. It rescinded the Fish and Wildlife population control measures and since then Engle said the cormorant population has began to climb again.

“Since the ruling we have observed an increase leaving our small businesses in great jeopardy once again,” he said. “Cormorant management is necessary in order to avoid another rash in our local native fish population that is vital to our economic stability.”

Michigan 1st Congressional Rep. Jack Bergman said there are stories similar to Engle’s he hears from people all over the district and that action needs to be taken. He has introduced Bill HR 4429, the Cormorant Control Act, which if passed will direct Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue the two depredation orders vacated by the 2016 District Court ruling. That would provide for continued management of cormorants by state fish and game agencies, as well as private aquaculture organizations.

The testimony taken in Alpena could help that bill or other proposed legislation get passed and action taken against the birds population. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said listening and learning from people who live with the issue is critical to finding a solution in Washington.

“If the federal government is serious about better managing the land under its care, it should take seriously the input from constituents and stakeholders directly affected by its decisions,” he said. “I’m grateful for Rep. Bergman’s willingness to host this field hearing, and his leadership to the 1st district in Michigan. I would also like to thank Rep. Westerman for presiding over the hearing and for bringing his perspective as a member who successfully dealt with this issue in his district and state. This field hearing provided an important forum for local input that will help Congress improve our natural resources.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews.