Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/10/08/03-25500/migratory-bird-permits-regulations-for-double-crested-cormorant-management
Timestamp: 2018-03-23 00:32:56
Document Index: 260585399

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', 'art 21', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', '§\u20092', '§\u200913', '§\u200913', '§\u200921', '§\u200913', '§\u200913']

Federal Register :: Migratory Bird Permits; Regulations for Double-Crested Cormorant Management
A Rule by the Fish and Wildlife Service on 10/08/2003
This final rule will go into effect on November 7, 2003.
68 FR 58022
58022-58037 (16 pages)
1018-AI39
03-25500
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-25500 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-25500
Final rule and notice of record of decision.
Increasing populations of the double-crested cormorant have caused biological and socioeconomic resource conflicts. In November 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on double-crested cormorant management. In March 2003, a proposed rule was published to establish regulations to implement the DEIS proposed action, Alternative D. In August 2003, the notice of availability for a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was published, followed by a 30-day comment period. This final rule sets forth regulations for implementing the FEIS preferred alternative, Alternative D (establishment of a public resource depredation order and revision of the aquaculture depredation order). It also provides responses to comments we received during the 60-day public comment period on the proposed rule. The Record of Decision (ROD) is also published here.
Comments can be mailed to the Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, MBSP-4107, Arlington, Virginia 22203; Start Printed Page 58023or emailed to cormorants@fws.gov; or faxed to 703/358-2272.
Brian Millsap, Chief, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (see ADDRESSES).
On March 17, 2003 we published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (68 FR 12653). We solicited comments on the proposed rule until May 16, 2003. During that time, we received approximately 9,700 letters, emails, and faxes. About 85 percent of these comments were opposed to the proposed action, the vast majority of which were driven by mass email/letter campaigns promoted by nongovernmental organizations. This final rule reflects consideration of comments received on the proposed rule. The final rule promulgates regulations to implement the selected action described in the FEIS. We published the notice of availability for the FEIS in the Federal Register on August 11, 2003 (68 FR 47603). Copies of the FEIS may be obtained by writing us (see ADDRESSES) or by downloading it from our Web site at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/​issues/​cormorant/​cormorant.html. The Wires et al. report “Status of the double-crested cormorant in North America,” mentioned in a Federal Register notice of November 8, 1999 (64 FR 60828), may also be downloaded at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/​issues/​cormorant/​status.pdf.
The Service has weighed these deficiencies against the costs of taking no action, and we believe it is prudent to move forward as outlined in this final Start Printed Page 58024rule. In making a decision about whether or not to extend the depredation orders, the Service will review and consider all additional research that has been conducted that evaluates the effects of the proposed action on fish stocks and other resources. The Service strongly encourages all stakeholders to assist in gathering the needed data through well-designed scientific research. Our expectation is that the annual reports in the depredation orders, especially the monitoring and evaluation data associated with the public resource depredation order, will provide substantive increases in scientific and management knowledge of DCCOs and their impacts. We urge States, Tribes, and Federal agencies involved in DCCO control to, wherever possible, design monitoring programs to provide useful information on the effects of DCCO control on public resources. We also urge all relevant governmental and nongovernmental entities to work together, whenever possible, to coordinate research and management activities at the local and regional scale. In particular, the following needs exist: greater demographic information (age-specific survival/mortality, age at first breeding, reproductive output, and philopatry) for use in modeling to help predict population responses to management scenarios; region-wide surveys of DCCOs to document changes in breeding populations; assessments of DCCO-caused fish mortality in relation to other mortality factors at the local level; studies to examine mechanisms within fish populations that may buffer the effects of DCCO predation, including investigation of whether different fish life-stages or species complexes are differentially affected by DCCOs; studies to quantify the impacts of DCCOs on vegetation and other waterbirds; studies to determine how DCCO population processes respond to changes in population density resulting from control activities; and studies to address human dimensions of DCCO conflicts and possible solutions through education and outreach.
ADO 1: Winter roost control authorized from October to March Winter roost control authorized from October to April [21.47(c)(2)] Public and agency comments indicate that DCCOs continue to congregate in large numbers in April and these birds have a major impact on adjacent aquaculture facilities.
Both DOs 2: Statement that take of any species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is not authorized Same, plus conservation measures added [21.47(d)(8); 21.48(d)(8)] In accordance with Section 7 of the ESA, we completed informal consultation; this led to development of conservation measures to avoid adverse effects to any species protected by the ESA.
Both DOs: General statement that authority under depredation orders can be revoked Added specific suspension and revocation procedures [21.47(d)(10); 21.48(d)(13)] For consistency's sake, we believe it is important to have a revocation/suspension process outlined.
Both DOs: OMB information collection control number not specified Added OMB approval number of 1018-0121 and expiration date [21.47(e); 21.48(e)] We received this number in May 2003, after publication of proposed rule and comment period.
PRDO 3: Recipients of donations of birds killed must have a scientific collecting permit This requirement removed [21.48(d)(6)(i)] The proposed rule would have been more stringent than what is currently allowed in 50 CFR 21.12(b) and we do not consider stricter rules necessary.
PRDO: Agencies must provide a one-time notice of their intent to act under the order Added an advance notification requirement for take of >10% of a breeding colony [21.48(d)(9)] We wanted to address concerns about there being no opportunity for us to review, and even suspend, control actions before they take place.
PRDO: Annual reporting period set at Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 Changed reporting period to Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 [21.48(d)(11)] The State of New York requested this change to better accommodate fall harassment activities.
PRDO: Monitoring requirements for population level activities Changed the word “monitor” to “evaluate”; added requirement that data from this section be included in annual report; and removed (11)(iii) [21.48(d)(12)] This section ensures that agencies will consider (and take action to avoid) impacts to nontarget species and will evaluate the effects of control actions at breeding colonies, without being cost-prohibitive.
1 Aquaculture Depredation Order.
2 Aquaculture and Public Resource Depredation Orders.
3 Public Resource Depredation Order.
The information in this section is derived from the FEIS (to obtain a copy, see ADDRESSES). DCCOs are native to North America and range widely there. There are essentially five different breeding populations, variously described by different authors as: Alaska, Pacific Coast, Interior, Atlantic, and Southern (Hatch and Weseloh 1999, Wires et al. 2001). The continental population is estimated at 2 million birds (including breeders and nonbreeders). For the United States as a whole, according to Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data, the breeding population of DCCOs increased at a statistically significant rate of approximately 7.5 percent per year from 1975-2002 (Sauer et al. 2003). However, growth rates for the different breeding populations vary considerably from this average.
Atlantic. Approximately 23 percent of the DCCO breeding population is found Start Printed Page 58025in the Atlantic region (Tyson et al. 1999), which extends along the Atlantic coast from southern Newfoundland to New York City and Long Island (Wires et al. 2001). Atlantic DCCOs are migratory and occur with smaller numbers of great cormorants. From the early 1970s to the early 1990s, the Atlantic population increased from about 25,000 pairs to 96,000 pairs (Hatch 1995). While this population declined by 6.5 percent overall in the early to mid-1990s, some colonies were still increasing during this period. The most recent estimate of the Atlantic population is at least 85,510 breeding pairs (Tyson et al. 1999).
Fish. In order to fully understand fisheries impacts related to predation, DCCO diet must be evaluated in terms of the number of DCCOs in the area, the length of their residence in the area, and the size of the fish population of concern (Weseloh et al. 2002). While most, but not all, studies of cormorant diet have indicated that sport or other human-valued fish species do not make up high percentages of DCCO diet, conclusions about actual fisheries impacts cannot be based on diet studies alone. Nisbet (1995) referred to this as the “body-count” approach (i.e., counting the numbers of prey taken rather than examining the effects on prey populations) and noted that it is necessary to also “consider functional relationships between predation and output parameters.”
Stapanian (2002) observed that “Rigorous, quantitative studies suggest that the effects of cormorants on specific fisheries appear to be due in part to scale and stocks of available prey.” Indeed, negative impacts are typically very site-specific and thus DCCO-fish conflicts are most likely to occur on a localized scale. Even early cormorant researcher H.F. Lewis recognized that cormorants could be a local problem at some fishing areas (Milton et al. 1995). In sum, the following statements about DCCO feeding habits and fisheries impacts can be concluded with confidence from the available science: (1) DCCOs are generalist predators whose diet varies considerably between seasons and locations and tends to reflect fish species composition; (2) The present composition of cormorant diet appears to have been strongly influenced by human-induced changes in the natural balance of fish stocks; (3) “Impact” can occur at different scales, such that ecological effects on fish populations are not necessarily the same as effects on recreational or commercial catches, or vice versa; (4) Cormorant impact is generally most significant in artificial, highly managed situations; and (5) Because environmental and other conditions vary locally, the degree of conflicts with cormorants will vary locally.
Other Birds. Weseloh et al. (2002) observed that nesting DCCOs could impact other colonial waterbirds in at least three ways: by DCCO presence limiting nest site availability, by DCCOs directly taking over nest sites, or by falling guano and nesting material from DCCO nests leading to the abandonment of nests below. Habitat destruction is another concern reported by biologists (USFWS 2001). The significance of DCCO-related effects on other birds varies with scale. While large-scale impacts on regional or continental bird populations have not been documented (Cuthbert et al. 2002), there is evidence that species such as black-crowned night herons, common terns, and great egrets can be negatively impacted by DCCOs at a site-specific level (Jarvie et al. 1999, Shieldcastle and Martin 1999, USFWS 2001, Weseloh et al. 2002). Biologists from several States and provinces have reported or expressed concern about impacts to other bird Start Printed Page 58026species in relation to increased cormorant abundance (Wires et al. 2001, USFWS 2001). Some biologists have also expressed concern about incidental impacts to co-nesting species caused by DCCO control efforts (both lethal and nonlethal). We believe that such impacts are preventable and easily mitigated to a level of insignificance. For example, New York biologists conducting DCCO control work in eastern Lake Ontario have successfully managed to avoid negative impacts to other species such as Caspian terns, herring gulls, and ring-billed gulls (USFWS 2003).
Vegetation and Habitat. Cormorants destroy their nest trees by both chemical and physical means. Cormorant guano, or excrement, is highly acidic and kills ground vegetation and eventually the nest trees. In addition, cormorants damage vegetation by stripping leaves for nesting material and by breaking branches due to the combined weight of the birds and their nests. Vegetation and habitat destruction problems tend to be localized in nature. For example, resource professionals from the Great Lakes region are concerned about loss of plant diversity associated with increasing cormorant numbers at some breeding sites (Weseloh and Ewins 1994, Moore et al. 1995, Lemmon et al. 1994, Bédard et al. 1995, Shieldcastle and Martin 1999).
Hatcheries. DCCO impacts to hatcheries are related to predation, stress, disease, and financial losses to both hatcheries and recipients of hatchery stock. Hatchery fish may be stressed by the presence of DCCOs, wounds caused by unsuccessful attacks, and noisemakers used to scare away DCCOs. This stress can lead to a decrease in growth factors as feeding intensity decreases. Additionally, disease and parasites can be spread more easily by the presence of fish-eating birds. State and Federal hatchery managers, particularly in the upper midwest (e.g., Wisconsin, Michigan) and the south (e.g., Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas), have reported significant depredation problems at hatcheries (USFWS 2001). Currently, Director's Order No. 27, “Issuance of Permits to Kill Depredating Migratory Birds at Fish Cultural Facilities,” dictates that “kill permits [for fish-eating birds] will be issued for use at public facilities only when it has been demonstrated that an emergency or near emergency exists and an [APHIS/WS] official certifies that all other deterrence devices and management practices have failed.” The two depredation orders that we are proposing would supersede this Director's Order (for DCCOs only) by giving managers at State, Federal, and Tribal fish hatcheries more authority to control DCCOs to protect fish stock.
Service Response: In the wildlife management field, the control of birds through the use of humane, but lethal, techniques can be an effective means of alleviating resource damages, preventing further damages, and/or enhancing nonlethal techniques. It would be unrealistic and overly restrictive to limit a resource manager's damage management methods to nonlethal techniques, even if “nonlethal” included nest destruction and/or egg oiling. Lethal control techniques are an important, and in many cases necessary, part of a resource manager's “tool box.”
Service Response: Agencies will need to decide whether or not cormorant management is a high enough priority for them to justify committing resources to it. We have tried to keep reporting and evaluation requirements such that they are unlikely to be cost prohibitive. We have also allowed agencies to designate “agents” to act under the orders. Our budget does not currently allow us to provide financial assistance to States and other agencies for cormorant control.
Service Response: At this time, we believe that the evidence better supports Alternative D, a localized damage control strategy rather than Alternative E, a largescale population reduction strategy. While many stakeholders portray cormorant conflicts as being a simple overabundance problem whose solution is population reduction, that is not clearly the case. That is, it is unclear whether fewer cormorants would Start Printed Page 58027actually mean fewer problems (since sometimes distribution is as important as number in determining impacts), what the necessary scale of control would be, and whether or not that scale of control is biologically, socially, and economically feasible.
Service Response: Under the MBTA, we have the ultimate responsibility for cormorant management. While we can grant States and other agencies increased authority, giving them “full authority” without any limitations and requirements would abdicate our responsibilities.
Service Response: While we recognize the validity of hunting as a wildlife management tool, we believe that the risks associated with it outweigh any potential benefits. We are gravely concerned about the negative public perception that would arise from authorizing hunting of a bird with little consumptive (or “table”) value. While it is true that this has been done in the past for other species (e.g., crows), public attitudes are different today than they were 30 years ago when those decisions were made. Additionally, a number of hunters commented that they did not support hunting as a means of cormorant control. Therefore, it is our position that hunting is not, on the whole, a suitable technique for reducing cormorant damages.
Service Response: In our view, this is not a “reasonable alternative.” DCCOs have been protected under the MBTA since 1972. Removing DCCOs from MBTA protection would not only be contrary to the intent and purpose of the original treaty, but would require amending it, a process involving lengthy negotiations and approval of the U.S. Senate and President. Since DCCOs are protected by family (Phalacrocoracidae) rather than by species, the end result could be the loss of protection for all North American cormorant species in addition to that of DCCOs. At this time, there is adequate authority for managing cormorant conflicts within the context of their MBTA protection and, thus, we believe the suggestion to remove DCCOs from MBTA protection is not practical, necessary, or in the best interest of the migratory bird resource.
Service Response: The take of DCCOs and other migratory birds is regulated by the MBTA and, in most cases, requires a Federal permit. Under the aquaculture depredation order, private commercial aquaculture producers in 13 States are allowed to control DCCOs on their fish farms without a Federal permit. However, all other individuals who experience damages to private resources must contact the appropriate Service Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office for a depredation permit. There is not sufficient justification for authorizing “private landowners” in general to take DCCOs without a Federal permit.
Service Response: We have prepared fact sheets for public distribution. Information about DCCOs is available at our Web site http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/​issues/​cormorant/​cormorant.html. Our intention is to distribute fact sheets on the depredation orders in the near future. Beyond DCCOs, we participate in numerous outreach activities around the nation to increase public awareness about the importance of migratory birds and other Federal trust species.
Service Response: The public resource depredation order is not a requirement being forced upon the States (or any other agency). The decision ultimately lies with individual agencies to choose whether or not to use the authority granted to them by the public resource depredation order. As we were considering options for addressing DCCO conflicts more effectively, it became clear that, since many conflicts tend to be localized in nature, a sensible and flexible solution was to allow local agencies more authority in deciding when to control cormorants. The Start Printed Page 58028Service did not “create” the cormorant problem. Their population increases are due to many factors, most of which are entirely out of our control.
Service Response: The rule does allow for proactive measures to a certain extent. Both depredation orders allow DCCOs to be taken when “committing or about to commit depredations.” The public resource depredation order takes this a step further by allowing for take of DCCOs to prevent depredations on public resources.
Service Response: The USDA report, “A Science-Based Initiative to Manage Double-Crested Cormorant Damage to Southern Aquaculture” notes that “Coordinated and simultaneous harassment of cormorants can disperse them from night roosts and reduce damage at nearby catfish farms” and cites three scientific studies that support this claim. It then concludes that shooting at roosts “might enable farmers to reduce the number of birds on their farms significantly * * *” Part of the logic behind this is that studies in the Mississippi Delta have shown that, while DCCOs move widely in general, they tend to exhibit high roost fidelity. This implies that shooting birds at roosts (where turnover is lower) is likely to be more effective at alleviating damages than shooting birds just at ponds (where turnover is higher).
Comment 27: The proposed rule is not based on “sound science.”
Comment 28: The Service is caving in to “political pressure” and “special interests.”
It is clear that the Constitution, in its treaty, property, and commerce clauses, contains ample support for the development of a comprehensive body of federal wildlife law and that, to the extent such law conflicts with state law, it takes precedence over the latter. That narrow conclusion, however, does not automatically divest the states of any role in the regulation of wildlife or imply any preference for a particular allocation of responsibilities between the states and the federal government. It does affirm, however, that such an allocation can be designed without serious fear of constitutional hindrance. In designing such a system, for reasons of policy, pragmatism, and political comity, it is clear that the states will continue Start Printed Page 58029to play an important role either as a result of Federal forbearance or through the creation of opportunities to share in the implementation of federal wildlife programs.
Service Response: Assigning economic value to any wildlife species is difficult, and it is made all the more so when that species (such as the DCCO) is of little direct use to humans. However, this should not be read to imply that we have no regard for the indirect and intangible values of cormorants as a native part of the North American avifauna. As such, we stated clearly in the FEIS (p. 6) that DCCOs “have inherent value regardless of their direct use to humans.” A quantitative analysis of the economic benefits associated with DCCO was not possible at this time due to lack of studies in this area. The Service welcomes submission of such studies and will consider them in its analysis of future depredation orders, if applicable.
Comment 34: Proposed rule contains too much “red tape.”
Service Response: We understand that strict monitoring requirements (i.e., population surveys) can be cost prohibitive and that, to a certain degree such monitoring is the Service's responsibility. It is important that agencies thoroughly evaluate the impacts of their management actions on DCCOs and, in some cases, on other resources, but we don't want these requirements to be so cost prohibitive that agencies are unable to take any action. Thus, in the final rule, we changed slightly the wording in § 21.48(d)(12) to account for this.
Service Response: We understand that harassment efforts can have secondary impacts on other colonially nesting birds and that is precisely why we did not require such efforts to be used first but rather stated that they be used “when these are considered effective and practicable by the responsible Agency.” We have since changed it to read that agencies “should first utilize nonlethal control methods such as harassment and exclusion devices when these are considered effective and practicable and not harmful to other nesting birds.” Start Printed Page 58030
Service Response: In developing the rule, USFWS wanted to maximize the flexibility of other agencies in determining what constitutes a public resource depredation. We understand that there are concerns about all of the “what ifs” that could conceivably take place in the absence of guidelines. We have made the purpose of the depredation orders clear, and we trust that our agency partners will not abuse their authority. If they do, we have the option to suspend or revoke their authority under the depredation order or to amend this rule.
Comment 47: The proposed rule seems to violate the Service's mission to “conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”
Service Response: Weseloh et al. (1995, p48) wrote that DCCO population increases in North America “have involved more than just a re-occupation of areas which experienced severe population declines or extirpations * * * previously unoccupied breeding and wintering areas have now been colonized” and gave three citations supporting this hypothesis. Regardless of whether or not DCCOs had previously occurred in some parts of their range, we have to manage and conserve them by today's standards, not those of a hundred (or more) years ago. Our intent under the final rule is not to eliminate cormorants on a regional or national level but to manage them, even to the point of reducing local populations, so that there are fewer impacts to natural and human resources. We fully understand that fish-eating birds are a natural part of the ecosystem and that, within limits prescribed by the need to consider the bigger picture than “ecological” factors alone, population recovery is a positive event.
Service Response: We do not agree with the statement that the depredation orders are a “dangerous” precedent. Each conflict must be evaluated on its own merits. If problems with other fish-eating birds arise in the future, we will give full and fair consideration to these issues.
Service Response: We would note that there is also public outcry against the status quo and in support of the final rule. We believe that our decision is supported by the available data. Furthermore, the rule requires that agencies who act under the public Start Printed Page 58031resource depredation order have sound reasoning for doing so.
Comment 55: The Service cannot establish depredation orders for DCCOs because they are not a “migratory game bird” pursuant to 50 CFR 21.42.
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543; 87 Stat. 884) provides that “Each Federal agency shall, in consultation with and with the assistance of the Secretary, insure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out * * * is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of [critical] habitat * * *” We completed a biological evaluation and informal consultation (both available upon request; see ADDRESSES) under Section 7 of the ESA for the action described in this final rule. In the letter of concurrence between the Division of Migratory Bird Management and the Division of Endangered Species, we concluded that the inclusion of specific conservation measures in the final rule satisfies concerns about the four species (piping plover, interior least tern, bald eagle, and wood stork) and therefore the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect any threatened, endangered, or candidate species.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires the preparation of flexibility analyses for actions that will have a significant economic effect on a substantial number of small entities, which includes small businesses, organizations, or governmental jurisdictions. Because of the structure of wildlife damage management, the economic impacts of our action will fall primarily on State governments and APHIS/WS. These do not qualify as “small governmental jurisdictions” under the Act's definition. Effects on other small entities, such as aquacultural producers, will be positive but are not predicted to be significant. Thus, we have determined that a Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis is not required.
This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. It will not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more, nor will it cause a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or local government agencies, or geographic regions. It will not have significant adverse effects on competition, Start Printed Page 58032employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
In response to public comments on the proposed rule (68 FR 12653, March 17, 2003), we added one new information collection requirement in this final rule that was not included in the proposed rule. That new requirement is advance notification to the Service of any control actions that would take more than 10 percent of a breeding DCCO population. This new requirement is located in § 21.48 (d)(9) and adds 165 hours to the total annual hour burden of these information collection requirements.
The information collections associated with this final rule are in §§ 21.47(d)(7), (d)(8), and (d)(9) and 21.48(d)(7), (d)(8), (d)(9), (d)(10) and (d)(12) and are listed below in the amendments to 50 CFR part 21. The breakdown of the information collection burden is as follows: We estimate that §§ 21.47(d)(7) and (d)(8) will have 50 annual responses at an estimated .5 burden hours per response; we estimate that § 21.47(d)(9) will have 900 annual responses at an estimated 2 burden hours per response; we estimate that §§ 21.48(d)(7) and (d)(8) will have 10 annual responses at an estimated .5 burden hours per response; we estimate that § 21.48(d)(9) will have 75 annual responses at an estimated average of 3 burden hours per response; we estimate that § 21.48(d)(10) will have 60 annual responses at an estimated 20 burden hours per response; and we estimate that § 21.48(d)(12) will have 10 annual responses at an estimated 80 burden hours per response. Overall, we estimate that a total of 960 respondents will annually submit a total of 1,105 responses to the recordkeeping and reporting requirements associated with these depredation orders. Each response will require an average of 3.67 hours to complete, for a total of 4,055 hours per year for all of the information collection and recordkeeping requirements in this final rule.
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires agencies to assess the effects of Federal regulatory actions on State, local, and Tribal governments and the private sector. We have determined, in compliance with the requirements of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that the selected action would not “significantly or uniquely” affect small governments, and will not produce a Federal mandate of $100 million or more in any given year on local or State government or private entities. Therefore, this action is not a “significant regulatory action” under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994, “Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal Governments” (59 FR 22951) and Executive Order 13175, we have determined that this action has no significant effects on Federally recognized Indian Tribes. In order to promote consultation with Tribes, a copy of the DEIS was mailed to all Federally recognized Tribes in the continental United States.
This Record of Decision (ROD) has been developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in compliance with the agency decision-making requirements of NEPA. The purpose of this ROD is to document the Service's decision for the selection of an alternative for managing resource damages associated with the double-Start Printed Page 58033crested cormorant (DCCO). Alternatives have been fully described and evaluated in the August 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on DCCO management in the United States.
As stated in the CEQ regulations, “the agency's preferred alternative is the alternative which the agency believes would fulfill its statutory mission and responsibilities, giving consideration to economic, environmental, technical and other factors.” The preferred alternative has been selected for implementation based on consideration of a number of environmental, regulatory, and social factors. Based on our analysis, the preferred alternative would be more effective than the current program; is environmentally sound, cost effective, and flexible enough to meet different management needs around the country; Start Printed Page 58034and does not threaten the long-term sustainability of DCCO populations or populations of any other natural resource.
Authority: Pub. L. 95-616; 92 Stat. 3112 (16 U.S.C. 712(2)); Pub. L. 106-108; Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 704), 40 Stat. 755.
2. In Subpart D, revise § 21.47 to read as follows:
§ 21.47
Depredation order for double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities.
(i) To protect wood storks and bald eagles, the following conservation measures must be observed within any geographic area where Endangered Species Act protection applies to these species: All control activities are allowed if the activities occur more than 1,500 feet from active wood stork Start Printed Page 58035nesting colonies, more than 1,000 feet from active wood stork roost sites, and more than 750 feet from feeding wood storks, and if they occur more than 750 feet from active bald eagle nests.
(iii) Each year, provide the previous year's log to the appropriate Service Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office. Regional Office addresses are found in § 2.2 of subchapter A of this chapter.
(10) We reserve the right to suspend or revoke the authority of any Agency or individual granted by this order if we find that the specified purpose, terms, and conditions have not been adhered to by that Agency or individual or if the long-term sustainability of double-crested cormorant populations is threatened by that Agency's or individual's action(s). The criteria and procedures for suspension, revocation, reconsideration, and appeal are outlined in §§ 13.27 through 13.29 of this subchapter. For the purposes of this section, “issuing officer” means the Regional Director and “permit” means the authority to act under this depredation order. For purposes of § 13.29(e), appeals shall be made to the Director.
3. In Subpart D, add § 21.48 to read as follows:
(c) What does this depredation order allow and who can participate? (1) This depredation order authorizes State fish and wildlife agencies, Federally recognized Tribes, and State Directors of the Wildlife Services program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (collectively termed “Agencies”) to prevent depredations on the public resources of fish (including hatchery stock at Federal, State, and Tribal facilities), wildlife, plants, and their habitats by taking without a permit double-crested cormorants found committing or about to commit, such depredations.
(8) Nothing in this depredation order authorizes the take of any species protected by the Endangered Species Act. Persons operating under this order must immediately report the take of Start Printed Page 58036species protected under the Endangered Species Act to the Service.
(13) We reserve the right to suspend or revoke the authority of any Agency, Tribe, or State Director granted by this order if we find that the specified purpose, terms, and conditions have not been adhered to or if the long-term sustainability of double-crested cormorant populations is threatened by the action(s) of that Agency, Tribe, or State Director. The criteria and procedures for suspension, revocation, reconsideration, and appeal are outlined in §§ 13.27 through 13.29 of this subchapter. For the purposes of this section, “issuing officer” means the Regional Director and “permit” means the authority to act under this Start Printed Page 58037depredation order. For purposes of § 13.29(e), appeals shall be made to the Director.