The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will host a public meeting on Wednesday, February 6, in Little Rock, Arkansas to gather comments and discuss its recently released draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on double-crested cormorant management in the United States. The meeting will be held at the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, 2301 S. University Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting is one of 10 public meetings being held in eight states and the District of Columbia to gather public input on double-crested cormorant management issues. Last month, the Service extended the public comment period on the draft EIS by six weeks. The new deadline for public comments is February 28, 2002.
The draft EIS analyzes various options for managing rapidly growing cormorant populations in order to reduce conflicts with recreational fishing, commercial aquaculture, and other birds and natural resources.
"We encourage the public to attend these meetings or to comment on the draft environmental impact statement in writing. Public input is vital as we craft a management strategy that ensures healthy cormorant populations while reducing conflicts with humans," said Tom Melius, the Service
