S. 1255: Cormorant Relief Act of 2025
The bill known as the **Cormorant Relief Act of 2025** seeks to update regulations concerning the management of double-crested cormorants, specifically their impact on aquaculture facilities. Here is a breakdown of its main components:
Purpose of the Bill
The primary intent of this bill is to require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a specific set of regulations, referred to as the "original depredation order," which allows for the control of double-crested cormorants that may negatively affect fish populations at aquaculture facilities.
Key Definitions
- Lake Manager: A person licensed by a state agency to manage a private lake.
- Pond Manager: A person licensed by a state agency to manage a private pond.
- Secretary: Refers to the Secretary of the Interior or their representative from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Original Depredation Order: The prior regulation allowing control of cormorants at aquaculture sites, effective as of January 1, 2016.
Reissuance of the Original Depredation Order
The bill specifies that the Secretary must reissue the original order within one year of the bill's enactment. This reissued order will apply to a wider geographic area and to more stakeholders than the original:
- The new order will include states that were not covered by the original regulations, specifically adding California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
- Furthermore, it will extend the applicability of the order to both lake managers and pond managers, in addition to the previously defined entities under the original regulation.
Impact on Aquaculture
The focus of this legislation is on improving the management practices for cormorants to better protect fish populations and support aquaculture operations, which can be adversely affected by these birds. By formalizing this control, the bill aims to ensure that aquaculture businesses can operate effectively without significant losses attributed to cormorant activities.
Relevant Companies
- CAG - Conagra Brands, Inc.: As a company involved in food production, changes in aquaculture regulations may affect its supply chain related to fish products.
- TSN - Tyson Foods, Inc.: Tyson may be impacted as it has interests in seafood as part of its product offerings.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
5 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Apr. 02, 2025 | Introduced in Senate |
| Apr. 02, 2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. |
Corporate Lobbying
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