Double-Crested Cormorant Predation on Yellow Perch in the Eastern Basin of Lake Ontario

Response of yellow perch in Les Cheneaux Islands, Lake Huron to declining numbers of double-crested cormorants stemming from control activities

“…The total mortality rate on that cohort, however, was 76% (Fielder, 2008) which greatly, limited its magnitude and longevity in the population. Other studies have also documented the erosion of strong yellow perch year classes due to cormorant predation (Lantry et al, 1999;O'Gorman and Burnett, 2001;Burnett et al, 2002).…”

Eating the Invaders: The Prevalence of Round Goby (Apollonia melanostomus) in the Diet of Double-Crested Cormorants on the Niagara River

“…Based on the 1998 estimate, the cumulative effect of cormorant predation on juvenile year classes in Eastern Lake Ontario could suppress smallmouth bass recruitment by 78%. Other studies in Lake Ontario estimated the average annual consumption of yellow perch by cormorants was 7.7 million during the 1990s (Burnett et al 2002). This rate of consumption by cormorants was considered sufficient to dramatically reduce recruitment to the older ages desired by the fishery.…”

Relative demand by double-crested cormorants and anglers for fish production from lakes on Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron

“…Cormorant consumption could therefore remove perch production prior to operation of the angling fishery. This may be a common occurrence as the size of yellow perch consumed by cormorants appears to be consistent across the Laurentian Great Lakes region and Kagawong Lake (Burnett et al, 2002;Johnson et al, 2002), Les Cheneaux Is., Lake Huron (Diana et al, 2006), and Oneida Lake (Rudstam et al, 2004;VanDeValk et al, 2002).…”