119-HR-2293 Family Farmer Impact Perspective

Summary of my opinion of H.R. 2293

As a multigenerational producer who values stable income over ideology, I see this bill as a pragmatic tool to protect inventory, jobs, and cash flow at fish farms, hatcheries, and managed private lakes/ponds. It reissues the original depredation order (50 CFR 21.47), expands eligibility to additional states and to licensed lake/pond managers, removes the old expiration date, and still requires compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and NEPA. Net: helpful for family‑scale operations, with oversight caveats. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…[4]USDA APHIS — Depredation Orders for Double-crested Cormorants (scope of 21.47)

• Favorable for operational stability and risk management at aquaculture facilities; neutral for commodity prices and taxes.
• Protects against predation while preserving MBTA/NEPA guardrails—no blank check on lethal take. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…
• Benefits are greatest for smaller farms that struggle with high fixed costs of bird harassment. [5]USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services Staff Publications (UNL Digital Commons) — Economi…

Specific impacts and my judgment

What changes on the ground for our business and community if this passes?

• Economic (good): Reduced direct losses and control costs at farms and hatcheries. USDA/APHIS research pegs industry‑wide catfish sales losses from cormorants around $47.2M, and USFWS cites USDA estimates of >$25M in annual aquaculture damages—addressing even a slice of this stabilizes margins and cash flow. [2]USDA APHIS — NWRC Research Areas: Aquaculture (avian predation losses)[3]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Interior’s FWS solicits public input on cormoran…
• Economic (good): Expansion to additional states and to licensed lake/pond managers means more timely local response, fewer crop (fish) write‑offs, and less reliance on emergency assistance. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…
• Economic (good for small farms): Bill‑enabled relief can lower the heavy, often fixed bird‑scaring costs (e.g., average ~$285/acre), which disproportionately hurt smaller operators. [5]USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services Staff Publications (UNL Digital Commons) — Economi…
• Economic (mixed): Some recordkeeping/coordination burdens remain; however, the bill directs modernization and simplification of compliance. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…
• Insurance/subsidies (neutral to modest positive): No direct change to crop insurance or subsidy programs; indirectly, lower predation and steadier output reduce revenue volatility and the odds of seeking ad‑hoc relief.
• Water rights (neutral): No effect on allocations or permitting.
• Social (good): Supports rural jobs tied to family‑run aquaculture, sport‑fish stocking, and local suppliers by protecting inventory that weather and markets already threaten.
• Social (risk): Expanded lethal authority to private lake/pond managers could heighten conflicts with birders and nearby landowners if not well‑managed and transparent. Audubon and other scientists have warned about localized over‑take risks in some western populations. [6]National Audubon Society — Western Cormorants Face 'Collapse' Under a Governmen…
• Environmental (guardrails retained): The bill preserves MBTA and NEPA compliance; USFWS has a long paper trail (EAs/EIS) balancing aquaculture protection with population sustainability. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…[7]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — USFWS Environmental Assessment balances aquacult…
• Environmental (context): Cormorant numbers recovered dramatically from DDT‑era lows; current North American abundance is roughly 0.87–1.03 million. Local impacts vary, so take levels should be data‑driven and adaptive to avoid harming regional populations. [8]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — USFWS FAQ on Double-crested Cormorants (populati…
• Trade/commodity prices (neutral): Catfish and other species prices are driven more by feed costs, demand, and imports; predation relief mainly improves yield and unit costs rather than market price.

Long‑term vs. short‑term effects

• Short‑term: Immediate reduction in on‑farm losses and harassment effort during peak predation seasons; smoother cash flow and staffing.
• Medium‑term: Better planning confidence for restocking/harvest schedules and loan servicing; fewer emergency depredation permit bottlenecks in newly covered states. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…
• Long‑term: Sustainability hinges on rigorous monitoring, transparent reporting, and periodic renewal (every 5 years) to adjust take levels as populations and local conditions change. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…

Unintended consequences to watch

• Compliance slippage if “modernized” recordkeeping weakens data quality; insist on standardized, auditable reporting. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…
• Effort displacement: cormorants may shift from controlled ponds to nearby waters, creating new conflicts; coordinate regionally with state agencies to avoid whack‑a‑mole outcomes. [7]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — USFWS Environmental Assessment balances aquacult…
• Public backlash or litigation if non‑target species are affected at mixed colonies; require training and clear protocols under MBTA/NEPA. [7]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — USFWS Environmental Assessment balances aquacult…

Bottom line: my stance

Given our priority—stable income to keep the family operation viable across generations—this bill is a net positive if implemented with data transparency and enforceable guardrails.

Overall view

Favorable

Why

Cuts significant predation losses while keeping MBTA/NEPA in force; helps family farms compete with larger operators that better absorb fixed deterrence costs. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.2293 (Engrossed in House): Cormorant Relief Act of 20…[5]USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services Staff Publications (UNL Digital Commons) — Economi…

What I will advocate

Tight reporting and public dashboards, coordination with state biologists on regional take caps, and producer training to minimize non‑target impacts. [7]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — USFWS Environmental Assessment balances aquacult…