Permit Resources and Information

The federal Special Double-crested Cormorant permit (50 CFR 21.123) is a permit issued to a State or Tribal fish and wildlife agencies in the lower 48 United States to authorize the take of double-crested cormorants for certain purposes. The permit authorizes specific take activities that are normally prohibited and are intended to relieve or prevent impacts from cormorants on lands or in waters managed by State or Tribal fish and wildlife agencies and within those agencies' jurisdiction. The take activities conducted under the permit are intended to reduce or prevent conflicts associated with cormorants for the following concerns:

  1. Depredation of fish at State- and Tribal-owned or operated aquaculture facilities, including hatcheries;
  2. Realized and potential impacts to human health and safety (e.g., collisions of airplanes with birds, fecal contamination of urban wetlands);
  3. Impacts to threatened and endangered species (species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and species identified in State- or Tribal-specific legislation as threatened or endangered) or those listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in State Wildlife Action Plans, where take activities to prevent depredation on aquatic Species of Greatest Conservation Need may occur only in natural or public waters;
  4. Damage to State- or Tribal-owned property and assets; and
  5. Depredation of wild- and publicly-stocked fish managed by State fish and wildlife agencies or federally recognized Tribes and accessible to the public or all Tribal members.

Permit Application

States and federally-recognized Tribes interested in applying for a permit may access an application through the Service’s ePermits system. Permits enable the public to engage in certain regulated wildlife-related activities.

Download FAQs regarding the §21.123 Special Double-Crested Cormorant Permit

APPLY FOR §21.123 SPECIAL DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT PERMIT

Double-crested Cormorant Update Webinars

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service presented double-crested cormorant management and rulemaking updates during two 90-minute webinars in late February and early March 2021.

Double-crested Cormorant Update Webinar 1 - February 22

Double-crested Cormorant Update Webinar 2 - March 2