Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) and Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-GA) led a bicameral letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to request flexibility for livestock and aquaculture producers under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The letter was signed by 15 senators and 23 members of Congress. “We recognize there are federal processes in place for affected producers to manage protected avian predators.
However, these processes are often insufficient to adequately address the problem,” members wrote in the letter.
Members also note that current regulations place “arbitrary caps on permitted take and incur heavy restrictions on preventative measures necessary to protect farming and ranching operations.”
The letter concludes: “We urge the FWS to promulgate new rules that simplify and streamline the permitting process, as well as allow greater flexibility for livestock and aquaculture producers to protect their livelihoods from these avian predators,” which include black vultures and ravens.
