DOUBLE-CRESTED CROOKS DOUBLE-CRESTED CROOKS CORMORANTS TAKE BIG SHARE OF PLANTED TROUT.

Byline: Keith Lair Staff Writer

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service places an animal on its protected list on a regular basis. But what the agency is not used to doing is having one of those species become so successful that it affects other species.

Anglers throughout the nation, especially in Southern California, are crying fowl over the protected status of the double-crested cormorant, a bird nearly decimated in the 1950s and '60s by human persecution, pesticides and poor ecosystems. The birds, who eat roughly one-fifth of their body weight in fish each day, are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Recently, the USFWS issued an intent to write an Environmental Impact Statement on the bird, of which there are an estimated 2 million nationwide. The EIS will determine future cormorant policy.

``This is something that we are not used to dealing with,'' USFWS biologist Chris Tollefson said. ``Through the EIS, we're hoping to resolve conflicts. We're not used to being in this position. There's definitely a larger population of birds and we're seeing an impact and conflict.''

Doug Elliott knows what that conflict is: It's costing him $400,000 annually.

Elliott operates Santa Ana River Lakes in Anaheim and Corona Lake. He buys fish from Mount Lassen Trout Farms in Red Bluff; he spent $780,000 for trout last year. Anglers pay to fish his lakes. When the fish aren't biting, the customers stop fishing and his profits are literally eaten up.

``At first, I was saying, `No way were they taking our fish,' '' he said. ``But we planted 75 trout with tags and got one back. I started looking at other reasons; people sneaking in and fishing at night, the fish dying, or they were not eating. But it wasn't any of that. The cormorants are eating roughly 50 percent of our fish and it's costing us $400,000 a year.''

Elliott says thousands of cormorants inhabit the trees overlooking Corona Lake, located between Corona and Elsinore just off Interstate 15. Finally, he received permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use pyrotechnics to scare the birds, chase them from both lakes.

``When a cormorant takes trout (after a DFG stock), the cities, taxpayers and DFG figure that's just the way things are,'' Elliott said. ``No one cares that I have to pay for these fish and the cormorants are eating good money that our anglers are paying to catch these fish.''

Frank Bonelli Park supervisor Jolene Lamont says anglers are always complaining about cormorants at Puddingstone.

``Fishermen always say it's a big problem,'' she said. ``The (cormorants) probably take more than the (anglers) would like. I just think they're mad because they don't have the opportunity to catch them like the cormorants. I don't think it is a problem. If I felt it was a problem, we'd do something.''

The only current option is to harass the birds, which requires a permit.

``Even when we do that, they just go to another end of the lake,'' Elliott said. ``We have to do it constantly so they leave.''

La Mirada resident Jeff Sun, who operates a Southern California Internet site, fishinghotpage.com, has started a petition that he plans to give to the DFG.

``We anglers pay big money in fishing-license fees so our lakes are regularly stocked with trout for us to catch,'' he writes. ``These are our fish, and as a licensed fisherman, I demand that some kind of action is taken to control this problem.''

Sun, who says he regularly fished at Puddingstone until his results were so poor he decided not to return, has 100 signatures in two months on his petition.

``I did not know what to do,'' he said of the problem. ``I'm disappointed to watch what is happening and I think other people feel the same way.''

Even though experts disagree whether cormorants truly deplete fish stocks, Tollefson says the EIS is a good chance for the management of cormorants to be changed.

``We felt like we had to do something at some point,'' he said.

The earliest the EIS will be available for comment would be this summer.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday

--Point Mugu State Park: Serrano Valley hike from Sycamore Canyon Trail, branches off to climb into a spring paradise. Shuttle provides return at end of hike. 8 a.m., six hours. 818-880-0350.

--Franklin Canyon Ranch: A moderately paced hike with an emphasis on protecting the environment. 9 a.m., two hours. William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom, 310-858-3090.

--Cold Creek Canyon Preserve: Just-Before-Mother's-Day Walk goes through the oak-studded preserve. Gradual uphill walk with stops at lookout points. Bring water. Meet at the preserve's upper game. 9:30 a.m., 2 1/2 hours. Cold Creek Docents, 818-346-9620.

--Malibu Creek State Park: Evening campfire hike, an easy-paced hike. Bring water and flashlight. Meet at lower day-use lot, 6:15 p.m. 818-347-1817.

Sunday

--Malibu Lagoon State Beach: Stroll on hard-packed sand while passing by the famous Malibu colony. After seeing life at low tide, ascend to observe a completely different zone on the bluffs. 12:30 p.m., four hours. 818-880-0350.

--Topanga State Park: Learn about native plants and animals on a docent-led nature walk. Visit the nature center. 1 p.m., two hours. 310-535-9400.

--Leo Carrillo State Park: Joine a ranger to learn about tidepool plants and animals and their perilous life on the rocks. Meet in day-use parking lot. 1 p.m., one hour. 818-880-0350.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box, map

Photo: (1 -- color) no caption (cormorant spreading wings)

(2 -- color) Crowding the pier and a pipe at Lake Sherwood, pelicans and some cormorants rest from their fishing chores.

(3 -- color) Cormorants love to feast on trout and often beat the fishermen to the favored fish.

(4) Two birds take time out from their fishing flights to rest in Lake Sherwood.

Daily News File Photos

Box: Upcoming events (see text)

Map: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area