Attitude strength and social acceptability of cormorant control programs on Lake Champlain

Abstract Federal and state wildlife managers have endeavored to reduce populations of cormorants on Lake Champlain since 1999. These efforts have relied on the presumption of a nuisance species attitude toward cormorants shared among the public. We employed the concept of attitude strength to explore beliefs, sentiments, and intentions that different recreational groups hold toward cormorants, and to gauge the social acceptability of population control on Lake Champlain. Results confirmed that people generally agreed with the nuisance species label. Overall attitudes toward cormorants leaned toward the negative side, and respondents tended to support hazing of nesting birds, egg oiling, and even state-sponsored shooting as population control measures. Strongest objections to cormorants came from anglers and lakeshore homeowners, whereas boaters and conservation group members were more ambivalent about cormorants and population control measures. Moreover, when analyzing attitude strength dimensions, results showed that overall ambivalence about cormorants was prevalent, negative attitudes may be based in cultural differences and social class, and those with the strongest negative attitudes may be fitting knowledge to attitudes.