Documents and Reports
Final Rule
Final Rule - Special Double-crested Cormorant Permit Under §21.123 in the Code of Federal Regulations Published December 29, 2020, effective February 12, 2021
NEPA Documents
- Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) / Notice of Intent - January 22, 2020
Federal Register, Migratory Bird Permits; Management of Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) Throughout the United States, a proposed rule by the Fish and Wildlife Service on January 22, 2020 - Notice Regarding Increasing the Take Limit for Cormorants - December 19, 2019
Migratory Birds; Double-Crested Cormorant Increased Take Limits for Depredation Permits in the Central and Eastern United States - Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Issuance of Depredation Permits for Double-Crested Cormorants - November 15, 2017
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Rule - June 5, 2020
- Final Environmental Impact Statement - November 20, 2020
- Management of Conflicts Associated with Double-crested Cormorants: Record of Decision - December 22, 2020
News Releases
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Finalizes New Special Permit for Cormorant Management in Lower 48 States - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service News Release, December 22, 2020
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Rule on Cormorant Management - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service News Release, June 5, 2020
- Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Solicits Public Input on Cormorant Management< - Department of Interior News Release, January, 21, 2020
- Service’s Environmental Assessment Balances Protection of Aquaculture with Conservation of Cormorant Populations - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service News Release, November 14, 2017
Environmental Assessments
- Environmental Assessment for Issuing Depredation Permits for Double-crested Cormorant Management - November 7, 2017
- Finding of No Significant Impact - Environmental Assessment for Issuing Depredation Permits for Double-crested Cormorant Management - October 25, 2017
Reports
Double-crested Cormorants and Free Swimming Fish Meeting Summary
The Service conducted four workshops in August, 2018, with state fish and wildlife agencies, tribes and other federal partners to address cormorant-fish conflicts. This report summarizing the outcome of these workshops was released in March 2019. The objectives of the workshops were to:
- gather available information and data regarding the impacts cormorants have on free-swimming fish populations
- better understand the scope and magnitude of cormorant impacts on recreational and commercial fishing
- better understand the social and economic importance of the issue
- serve as a model process for addressing avian predation conflicts with other species
Informational Public Scoping Webinars
The Service held four public scoping webinars in early February 2020.
- Webinar 1 (Feb. 11, 1 pm) | Start of presentation | Start of Q&A
- Webinar 2 (Feb. 11, 5 pm) | Start of presentation | Start of Q&A
- Webinar 3 (Feb. 12, 1 pm) | Start of presentation | Start of Q&A
- Webinar 4 (Feb. 12, 5 pm) |& Start of presentation | Start of Q&A
Permit Update Webinars
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides double-crested cormorant management and rulemaking updates during two 90-minute webinars. The sessions, which are equivalent and will cover the same information, provide a brief presentation by Service staff followed by a question/answer session.
Double-crested Cormorant Update Webinar 1 - February 22
Double-crested Cormorant Update Webinar 2 - March 2