The head of Island Nature Trust says she can't understand why a permit to kill cormorants has been issued to a sport fishing group in eastern P.E.I.

Jackie Waddell told CBC News Tuesday she believes the move is not based on science.

"Culls generally don't work very well and they have to be extremely extensive and long-term and followed and preceded by studies," said Waddell.

"This is just a surprise and probably not based on very good science."

A local sport fishermen's group recently received a permit from the province that allows its members to shoot cormorants at two ponds.

The permit was issued after the group said it was concerned about cormorants eating too many fish, including trout.

A government spokesperson said last week that very few cormorants are killed in annual culls on P.E.I.