Kline and Peterson introduce bill to control cormorant population
WASHINGTON - A new bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. John Kline and Collin Peterson would give states greater latitude to manage the size of migrating flocks of cormorants.
The birds are protected under the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act but Kline and Peterson say an overpopulation of cormorants has caused damage in their districts, displacing other species and fouling the air and water with waste.
Under the current law, states must submit plans to control the population to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for approval. Under Kline and Peterson's bill, governors would have authority to manage the bird populations, with that authority subject to review every five years.
Kline and Peterson are both hunters and earlier this year were both named "Top Guns" after a target shooting competition sponsored by Congressional Sportsmans' Caucus.
You can read the bill here.
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