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Federal Bill Threatens Cormorants



I appologize in advance for sending this to the list, however, it is highly 
important.


Federal Bill Threatens Cormorants
7/21/00, The Fund for Animals
Since 1972, double-crested cormorants have been protected under the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Their growing population has antagonized U.S. 
fishing industries, who accuse the birds of depleting fish populations of 
interest to anglers.
In response, H.R. 3118, a bill which directs the Secretary of the Department 
of the Interior to establish a hunting season for double-crested cormorants, 
has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed, H.R. 
3118 will pre-empt the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's (FWS) current, ongoing 
analysis of cormorant population impacts, and will allow hunters to kill 
cormorants, regardless of FWS findings.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your U.S. Representative and tell him or her to oppose H.R. 3118. 
Let your Representative know:
It is premature for Congress to decide on a course of action (i.e., a 
hunting season) before the FWS has completed its evaluation.
Because of the weakness of the connection between cormorant population 
increases and impacts on fish stocks, H.R. 3118 is vigorously opposed by 
several conservation organizations, including the American Bird Conservancy 
and the National Audubon Society.
The FWS has already approved regulations to allow fish farmers to shoot 
nuisance birds; a hunting season amounts to random killing of cormorants and 
is unlikely to achieve any population control objective.
The FWS itself opposed this legislation at a March hearing on H.R. 3118.
A hunting season on cormorants would place other species, such as the 
increasingly rare Common Loon, in danger, as other birds would be victims of 
mistaken identity kills.
CONTACT: The Honorable __________ U.S. House of Representatives Washington, 
D.C. 20515 Tel: 202-225-3121
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