The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is requesting public comments to guide the preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement or Environmental Assessment on the development of revised regulations governing the management of double-crested cormorants.  Under current regulations, cormorant damage management activities are conducted annually at the local level by individuals or agencies operating under USFWS depredation permits, the existing Aquaculture Depredation Order, or the existing Public Resource Depredation Order.  The depredation orders are scheduled to expire on June 30, 2014.  This analysis will update the 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS): Double-crested cormorant management in the United States (USFWS 2003).

Electronic comments on this notice via http://www.regulations.gov must be submitted by midnight Eastern Time on February 6, 2012.  Comments submitted by mail must be postmarked on or before February 6, 2012.

You may submit comments by either one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.  Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2011-0033.

• U.S. Mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R9-MB-2011-0033; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203-1610.

We will not accept email or faxes.  We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov.  This generally means that we will post any

personal information that you provide.  See the Public Comments section in the Federal Register notice for more information.

For further information contact: Terry Doyle, Wildlife Biologist, Division of Migratory Bird Management, 703-358-1799.

Additional information