Cormorant Control Rules Poised for Expansion: Bill Mandates Reissue, Adds 12 States and Private Lake Managers

The Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring back a specific rule concerning double-crested cormorants – birds often seen as pests by fish farmers. Specifically, Section 2 mandates the reissuance of the 'depredation order' found in federal regulations (50 CFR § 21.47) within one year. This order essentially gives permission to 'take' (read: kill or manage) cormorants that are causing damage, particularly at aquaculture facilities.

Same Rules, Wider Net

So, what's actually changing? While the bill insists the content of the reissued order must be identical to the old one, its reach gets significantly broader. The key shift is geographical and managerial. The order, previously limited in scope, would now apply to aquaculture facilities in twelve additional states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Furthermore, it's not just commercial fish farms anymore. The bill explicitly extends the authority to 'lake managers' and 'pond managers,' defined as individuals licensed by a state to manage private lakes or ponds. This means more people across more states could soon have federal backing to manage cormorants seen as threats to fish stocks.

Balancing Fish Stocks and Bird Flocks

Let's break down the real-world effects. For an aquaculture operator in, say, Michigan or a licensed pond manager in Ohio dealing with cormorants eating their fish, this bill offers a potential solution by reinstating and expanding a tool for controlling these birds. It directly addresses the economic concerns of those losing stock to predation. However, the flip side is the impact on the cormorants themselves. Expanding the order means potentially more birds being culled across a much larger territory. While the goal is targeted relief for fish facilities, broadening the scope without changing the underlying rules raises questions about potential effects on overall cormorant populations and the ecosystems they inhabit, especially as it now includes private lake and pond managers who might have varying levels of experience or oversight compared to commercial operations.

What to Keep an Eye On

The mandate to reissue the exact same order, just expanded, means any potential flaws or outdated aspects of the original regulation (50 CFR § 21.47) might be carried over and amplified across the new states and manager types. The inclusion of state-licensed lake and pond managers introduces a new layer – how consistently will the order be applied, and what kind of oversight will be in place for these private managers? The bill sets a clear one-year deadline for action, putting pressure on the Fish and Wildlife Service to implement this expanded order relatively quickly.