The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the management of double-crested cormorants in the United States. The document analyzes various options for managing rapidly growing cormorant populations to reduce resource conflicts. Cormorants have been documented to have negative impacts on resources such as commercial aquaculture, recreational fisheries, vegetation, and the habitat of other colonially-nesting birds. The preferred alternative in this EIS will give local authorities a more active role in double-crested cormorant management. Next week, the Environmental Protection Agency will publish a mandatory notice in the Federal Register, marking the beginning of a 30-day comment period on the EIS. After this period, the Service will publish a final rule and record of decision.
The EIS evaluates six management alternatives including continuing current management practices, implementing only non-lethal management techniques, issuing depredation permits with more flexible criteria, issuing a "public resource depredation order" to address public resource conflicts, reducing regional cormorant populations, and establishing frameworks for a cormorant hunting season. The Service believes a "public resource depredation order"will be the most effective alternative.
"Since populations are increasing and cormorants have been shown to cause localized impacts to natural and economic resources, we believe local management is the best approach to reduce conflicts," said Service Director Steve Williams.
Under the EIS
