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House Advances Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act to Support Local Fisheries
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Key points
- The Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act requires 180-day regional frameworks to manage bird populations.
- HR 8195 empowers state and tribal agencies to protect fisheries while maintaining sustainable cormorant breeding levels.
- The House Natural Resources Committee passed the bill unanimously, and companion legislation was introduced in the Senate.
NewsWK — Federal lawmakers are taking action to protect local fisheries, aquaculture businesses, and public waterways from bird overpopulation across the nation. The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced landmark legislation to establish targeted regional control frameworks.
What does HR 8195 do for double crested cormorant management?
The Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to build regional frameworks within 180 days of enactment. Working directly with Regional Flyway Councils, federal officials will set targeted control rules. These rules balance wildlife conservation with the needs of local fisheries, water safety, and threatened species. Officials must also evaluate cormorant impacts on local vegetation, aquaculture operations, and public health.
How will federal cormorant legislation authorize local actions? Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act
This federal cormorant legislation explicitly grants state and tribal agencies direct authority to manage local bird numbers. Qualified entities and their authorized representatives can perform population control using approved methods during designated seasons. Furthermore, double crested cormorant management plans will rely on ongoing scientific population surveys to protect overall species sustainability under federal law. The law requires strict compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to maintain healthy breeding levels.
What is the legislative status of the Tim Walberg cormorant bill?
Representative Tim Walberg introduced HR 8195 in April 2026 alongside co-sponsors Representatives Claudia Tenney and Nicholas Langworthy. The House Natural Resources Committee examined the measure during September subcommittee hearings, hearing testimony from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official Dave Miko. Subsequently, the full committee unanimously passed the bill on September 15, 2026. Meanwhile, Senators Ted Cruz and Katie Britt introduced companion legislation, S. 5514, in the U.S. Senate on September 24.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
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