Final Environmental Impact Statement Double-Crested Cormorant Management in the United States
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Final Environmental Impact Statement Double-crested Cormorant Management in the United States U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service “Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people” in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture APHIS Wildlife Services “Providing leadership in wildlife damage management in the protection of America’s agricultural, industrial and natural resources, and safeguarding public health and safety” 2003 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT: Double-crested Cormorant Management RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service COOPERATING AGENCY: Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Steve Williams, Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Main Interior Building 1849 C Street Washington, D.C. 20240 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shauna Hanisch, EIS Project Manager Division of Migratory Bird Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N. Fairfax Drive MS-MBSP-4107 Arlington, Virginia 22203 (703) 358-1714 Brian Millsap, Chief Division of Migratory Bird Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N. Fairfax Drive MS-MBSP-4107 Arlington, Virginia 22203 (703) 358-1714 i SUMMARY Populations of Double-crested Cormorants have been increasing rapidly in many parts of the U.S. since the mid-1970s. This abundance has led to increased conflicts, both real and perceived, with various biological and socioeconomic resources, including recreational fisheries, other birds, vegetation, and hatchery and commercial aquaculture production. This document describes and evaluates six alternatives (including the proposed action) for the purposes of reducing conflicts associated with cormorants, enhancing the flexibility of natural resource agencies to deal with cormorant conflicts, and ensuring the long-term conservation of cormorant populations. There are four chapters that make up the critical components of an Environmental Impact Statement. Chapter 1, Purpose and Need, describes the purpose of and need for the action. Chapter 2, Alternatives, describes the six management alternatives that we considered: (1) Continue current cormorant management practices (No Action); (2) implement only non- lethal management techniques; (3) expand current cormorant damage management practices; (4) establish a new depredation order to address public resource conflicts (PROPOSED ACTION); (5) reduce regional cormorant populations; and (6) establish frameworks for a cormorant hunting season. Chapter 3, Affected Environment, introduces the reader to the environmental categories upon which the analysis of alternatives in chapter 4 is based: cormorant populations, fish, other birds, vegetation, Federally-listed Threatened and Endangered species, water quality and human health, economic impacts, fish hatcheries and environmental justice, property losses, and existence and aesthetic values. Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences, analyzes the predicted impacts of each alternative on the environmental categories outlined in chapter 3 and in comparison to the No Action alternative. The environmental analysis presented in Chapter 4 indicates that the PROPOSED ACTION: will cause the estimated take of <160,000 DCCOs, which is not predicted to have a significant negative impact on regional or continental DCCO populations; will cause localized disturbances to other birds but these can be minimized by taking preventive measures, leading to the action having beneficial effects overall; will help reduce localized fishery and vegetation impacts; will not adversely affect any Federally-listed species; is likely to help reduce localized water quality impacts; will help reduce depredation of aquaculture and hatchery stock; is not likely to significantly benefit recreational fishing economies or commercial fishing; may indirectly reduce property damages; and will have variable effects on existence and aesthetic values, depending on perspective. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION.............................................................1 1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose of Action..........................................................................................................2 1.3 Need for Action.............................................................................................................2 1.3.1 Biological...................................................................................................2 1.3.2 Socioeconomic...........................................................................................3 1.4 Background Information...............................................................................................3 1.4.1 Lead and Cooperating Agencies................................................................3 1.4.2 Policy, Authority, and Legal Compliance.................................................3 1.4.3 Other Considerations.................................................................................6 1.4.4 Cormorant Management Practices............................................................8 1.4.5 The Role of Other Agencies in Cormorant Management.......................11 CHAPTER 2: ALTERNATIVES...................................................................................................13 2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................13 2.2 Rationale for Alternative Design.................................................................................13 2.3 Proposed Action...........................................................................................................13 2.4 Description of Alternatives..........................................................................................13 2.4.1 Alternative A: No Action.............................................................................13 2.4.2 Alternative B: Non-lethal Management.......................................................15 2.4.3 Alternative C: Increased Local Damage Control.........................................16 2.4.4 Alternative D: Public Resource Depredation Order (PROPOSED ACTION) ..............................................................................................................................17 2.4.5 Alternative E: Regional Population Reduction...........................................18 2.4.6 Alternative F: Regulated Hunting...............................................................19 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study....................................19 2.5.1 No Management..........................................................................................19 2.5.2 Rescindment of MBTA Protection..............................................................19 2.6 Comparison of Alternatives.........................................................................................19 CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT...............................................................................22 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................22 3.2 Biological Environment...............................................................................................22 3.2.1 Double-crested Cormorants.........................................................................22 3.2.2 Fish...............................................................................................................31 3.2.3 Other Birds...................................................................................................35 3.2.4 Vegetation....................................................................................................38 3.2.5 Federally-listed Species...............................................................................38 3.3 Socioeconomic Environment.......................................................................................39 3.3.1 Water Quality and Human Health...............................................................39 3.3.2 Economic Environment...............................................................................40 3.3.3 Fish Hatcheries and Environmental Justice................................................45 3.3.4 Property Losses...........................................................................................46 3.3.5 Existence and Aesthetic Values..................................................................46 3.3.6 Issues Raised but Eliminated from Detailed Study....................................47 CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.............................................................51 4.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................51 iii 4.2 Environmental Analysis of Alternatives....................................................................52 4.2.1 Impacts to Double-crested Cormorants.......................................................52 4.2.2 Impacts to Fish............................................................................................59 4.2.3 Impacts to Other Birds................................................................................66