Cormorant Relief Act of 2025

The Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of the Interior to reissue an existing depredation order concerning double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities. This reissued order must be based on the original regulations (50 CFR 21.47 as of January 1, 2016), but with several key modifications. Specifically, it expands the order's applicability to include additional states and new entities such as lake managers and pond managers . Furthermore, the bill requires the reissued order to incorporate modern terminology, simplify compliance with other federal laws, and update recordkeeping requirements. Crucially, it mandates the removal of the original order's June 30, 2014, expiration date, making it permanent, and requires the Secretary to renew it at least every five years. The Act also clarifies that these provisions do not waive the Secretary's obligation to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.