Cormorant hazing begins in Oregon

TILLAMOOK, Ore. — Hazing of double-crested cormorants began Friday along the Oregon coast in an effort to help juvenile salmon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is working with several nonprofit and local governmental organizations to harass cormorants on six coastal estuaries during the next two to four months.

Hazing will involve driving the birds from locations where juvenile salmon are seasonally concentrated toward areas where non-salmon species are more prevalent.

Workers will use boats and, on some estuaries, small pyrotechnics, to accomplish the task.

Hazing will start on the Nehalem, Nestucca and Coquille estuaries plus Tillamook and Alsea bays, as early as Friday. The program will continue through at least July 31 on the lower Columbia River, where hazing is planned at a variety of locations including Youngs Bay, Blind Slough and Tongue Point.