Goderich councillors got confirmation last night of the source of the pollution on their beaches.
E-coli levels at all three Goderich beaches have been above acceptable levels for several years.
Huron County Epidemiologist Doctor Erica Clark explains last summer they tested all three beaches for six potential sources .... humans, cows, birds, geese, seagulls and dogs and found seagulls were by far the major contributors of e-coli.
Clark adds three possible methods of getting rid of the seagulls are harassment, population reduction and artificial exclusion, which means using fences or thin wire to keep them out of the water.
Clark says the only one of the three that has had any real success is artificial exclusion but it does have its drawbacks -- fences don't look very nice on a beach and aren't always practical.
But Clark says both Hamilton and Ottawa have had success with the method so the next step is for Goderich to figure out how it could work for them. Clark adds part of the problem is the beaches in Goderich are prime habitat for seagulls in that they have a source of food from the grain elevators; they have people on the beach who enjoy feeding them; and they have the breakwater walls to protect them from waves.
