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H.R. 2293 · House bill · 119th Congress
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to reissue the depredation order for double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities in certain states. (The previous order was vacated in 2016 by court order.)
Depredation orders allow for the taking (i.e., capturing, killing, dispersing, or transport of the carcass) of a specified species without a permit, generally to reduce damage caused by the species or to protect interests like health or property. Reissuing this order authorizes landowners, operators, tenants, and employees of entities engaged in aquaculture to take double-crested cormorants that are causing or threatening harm at aquaculture facilities and state and federal fish hatcheries.
Interior must reissue the depredation order with updates, including an expansion of (1) the number of states covered by the order, and (2) the entities to whom the order applies (i.e., private lake and pond managers who are licensed by the state).
Under the bill, Interior must renew the depredation order every five years.
This Act may be cited as the “Cormorant Relief Act of 2025”.
(a) In general.— The Secretary shall reissue the original depredation order in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Requirements.— The depredation order reissued under subsection (a) shall be the same as the original depredation order, except that the depredation order reissued under subsection (a) shall—
(1) apply to—
(A) each of the States of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and any other State or territory of the United States the Secretary determines appropriate in addition to and in the same manner as each of the States to which the original depredation order applied; and
(B) lake managers and pond managers in addition to and in the same manner as each of the entities to which the original depredation order applied;
(2) incorporate modern terminology;
(3) simplify the provisions contained in the original depredation order related to compliance with other Federal law;
(4) modernize the recordkeeping requirements contained in the original depredation order; and
(5) remove the June 30, 2014, expiration date contained in the original depredation order.
(c) Renewal.— Not less than once every 5 years after the date on which the Secretary reissues the original depredation order under subsection (a), the Secretary shall renew the depredation order reissued under subsection (a).
(d) Rule of construction.— Nothing in this Act may be construed to waive the obligation of the Secretary to comply with the—
(1) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
(2) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.).
(e) Definitions.— In this section:
(1) Lake manager.— The term lake manager means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private lake.
(2) Original depredation order.— The term original depredation order means the depredation order for double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities contained in section 21.47 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on January 1, 2016).
(3) Pond manager.— The term pond manager means a person that is licensed by a State regulatory agency to manage a private pond.
(4) Secretary.— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.