The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program and the Interior Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are seeking public comments on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) that lays out a plan to reduce double-crested cormorant damage in Michigan.
The EA considers five alternatives, including the “No Action” alternative required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Written comments on the EA will be accepted through May 5. Wildlife Services is the lead agency for the EA and the Fish and Wildlife Service is a cooperating agency.
In the EA, Wildlife Services proposes to implement an Integrated Wildlife Damage Management approach to reduce damage associated with double-crested cormorants to property, aquaculture, natural resources, and public health and safety on all lands in Michigan where a need exists, a request is received, and landowners grant permission.
Double-crested cormorants are large, fish-eating birds that nest in colonies and roost in large numbers. A reduction in eggshell-thinning pesticides (primarily DDT), increased protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and abundant food resources on their breeding and wintering grounds have caused cormorant numbers and distribution to increase greatly in the last 30 years.
The current population in North America is estimated at two million birds, nearly 70 percent of which are in the interior population. The species is widespread throughout the Great Lakes and about 115,000 pairs currently nest there. Currently there are 48 known double-crested cormorant breeding sites in Michigan, and biologists believe about 30,000 breeding pairs nest in the state.
Conflicts with human and natural resources, including real or perceived impacts on commercial aquaculture, recreational fisheries, vegetation and other colonial waterbirds that nest with cormorants, led to a decision by the Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a management strategy for the species. In October, the Service issued regulations that allow more flexibility in the control of double-crested cormorants where they are causing damage to aquaculture stock and public resources such as fisheries, vegetation and other birds.
The regulations establish a public resource depredation order allowing state wildlife agencies, tribes and Wildlife Services in 24 states, including Michigan, to conduct cormorant control for the protection of public resources. Without these depredation orders, agencies and individuals would not be able to control cormorants without a federal permit.
Agencies acting under the order must have landowner permission, may not adversely affect other migratory bird species or threatened and endangered species, and must satisfy annual reporting and evaluation requirements. The Service will ensure the long-term conservation of cormorant populations through oversight of agency activities and through regular population monitoring.
Wildlife Services’ proposed action in Michigan would include implementation of the public resource depredation order issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Service would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the regulations at 50 CFR 21.48 and that the long-term sustainability of cormorant population is not threatened. The other alternatives considered involve more restricted roles for Wildlife Services in controlling cormorant populations.
Copies of the draft EA may be obtained by contacting Tim Wilson, Wildlife Services, at (517) 336-1928 or email or by visiting the Fish and Wildlife Service NEPA website at: http://midwest.fws.gov/nepa. Written comments should be submitted to Tim Wilson, WS, 2803 Jolly Road, Suite 100, Okemos, MI 48864.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
