Fishing harbour demolition threatens bird population in Prince Edward County

As work gets underway to demolish several historically significant fishing buildings at Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, conservation advocates are raising the alarm about the impact the changes may have on migratory birds.

The village dates back to the early 1900s and the buildings were once part of Prince Edward County’s rich fishing history.

While there’s still some fishing activity along the point, for the last 40 years one of the sheds has become a home for generations of barn swallows, a wild bird that’s listed on Ontario’s species at risk list.

The South Shore Joint Initiative worries the migratory birds will leave the area forever if the building is torn down.

“Their populations have declined 70 per cent over the last 40 to 50 years, and the main reason the populations have declined is because of habitat loss,” explained Cheryl Anderson, vice-president of the local conservation advocacy group.

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Despite the outcry from conservationists, the federal government is proceeding with the demolition, citing the need to “naturalize” the land.

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That doesn’t sit will with Angela Lammes, a concerned citizen who wants to see the buildings to stay up.

“But then they said they’re going to build another building for the swallows, so which is it?” Lammes asked as demolition started Monday.

“And yet, the bird observatory will stay put and that building is almost as old as the ones that are coming down.”

While demolition was expected to continue through the week, Anderson said she’s hopeful there’s still time to save the one barn that houses seven swallow nests,

“It looks like it’s too late. However, they’re not here at the shed,” Anderson said of the demolition crews. “I’ll give up when I see the shed go down.”

Anderson says it would only take a little work to make the shed safe and keep it standing.

“It would take a day, two men a day to shore up the shed, make sure that the side that’s kind of open got closed in,” she said.

“If there was a problem with safety, put a fence around it,” she said.

Despite objections and appeals from conservationists, demolition crews continue their work, prompting fears about the loss of both heritage and vital wildlife habitats.