Interior Department gets permanent green light to kill protected birds for fish farms
H.R. 2293 — Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 · Filed by Mike Ezell (R-MS) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced Mar 24, 2025 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This bill requires the Interior Secretary to reissue a federal regulation that allows the killing of double-crested cormorants at fish farms and private aquaculture facilities. The reissued rule expands the geographic scope (adding 12 named states plus others the Secretary deems appropriate), extends eligibility to lake and pond managers, modernizes language and recordkeeping, removes a 2014 expiration date, and requires renewal every 5 years. The bill does not waive compliance with environmental law or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to expand and perpetualize a federal authorization allowing the killing of a protected bird species at commercial and private aquaculture sites. It is narrowly tailored to benefit fish-farming operations by removing regulatory barriers and expiration dates.
What the text implies
- Expansion to private lake and pond managers (not just commercial aquaculture) may create a de facto open season on cormorants at any licensed private water body, potentially far exceeding the original commercial fish-farming scope.
- Removal of the June 30, 2014 expiration date converts a time-limited depredation order into a permanent authorization, shifting the regulatory burden from periodic renewal/justification to indefinite continuation unless actively revoked.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
aquaculture operators and fish farms; private lake and pond management companies; commercial fishing operations