Ok...this whole question of dealing with herons got me thinking - of
course in a "back yard" pond using nets and water spray is an option
(and I don't think shooting the things would be an option in a
residential area - in fact I can pretty much imagine what would happen)
but I wondered what would happen if the pond was much larger or even a
lake/loch...and if there was a commercial side to it. Obviously if fish
are being raised on a commercial basis having a heron or any other
predator taking fish becomes an issue if too frequent. Now, I know
nothing of the legality in the US but thought I'd find out what happens
on the trout farm where my Dad lives up in Scotland (herons are as much
of an issue over here as in the US)....apparently the herons are
tolerated as there is little that can be done about them - get rid of
one and another one turns up (bit like bad pennies I guess)....but they
do shoot at the cormorants - mainly to scare rather than kill....

Gill