Stop Shooting of Native Piscivorous Birds, Miles City, Montana Fish Hatchery

Edie Linneweber photo

Target:

Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society and National Audubon Society members, the general public and public officials via all reasonable news outlets

Signatures:

1,052

3,000

We've got 1,052 signatures, help us get to 3,000

Petition

Petition to USFWS to Withhold Depredation Permit from MFWP [Miles City] Fish Hatcheries:

I support this petition to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Wildlife Services, and MT Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) to immediately implement:

Petition to USFWS to Withhold Depredation Permit from MFWP [Miles City] Fish Hatcheries:

I support this petition to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Wildlife Services, and MT Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) to immediately implement:

• A stay in federal and state permitting of lethal methods of managing piscivorous bird depredation on fish at Montana fish hatcheries for at least two full years beginning in Spring of 2021;
• A sound science based evaluation and statistically valid testing of nonlethal methods of managing piscivorous bird depredation on fish at Montana fish hatcheries;
• Collaboration of a team of experts (e.g. government, academia, NGO’s) to guide sound science based evaluation, statistically valid testing, and implementation of nonlethal methods of managing piscivorous bird depredation on fish at Montana fish hatcheries;
• A sound science based investigation of local and regional impacts of killing piscivorous birds at Montana fish hatcheries;
• A commitment to publish a public report of related processes and findings.

Additional information at yvaudubon.org

Petition background

2012: Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society (YVAS) extends Yellowstone River (YR) MT Osprey Nest Monitoring Project (320 mi. of YR).

2020: YVAS learns MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Fish Hatchery in Miles City is using US Migratory Bird Depredation Permits (DP) to kill fed. protected Ospreys and other birds.

2018 - 2020: 8 Ospreys (prob. total breeding pop. at YR basin eastern limit), 26 Great Blue Herons (GBH), 16 Double-Crested Cormorants (DCC) shot by MFWP.

2021: MFWP DP app. requests killing 4 Ospreys, 15 GBH, 15 DCC, 5 Belted Kingfishers (BK). This lethal management impact on Osprey, GBH, DCC, BK populations is unknown but concerning. US Fish Wildlife Service (USFWS) regulates Depredation Permits. It appears they will approve 2021 MFWP Permit.

MFWP says Ospreys and the other birds eat too many hatchery fish, specifically largemouth bass (introduced fish in MT) which they say is unacceptable operational/financial loss.

USFWS DP’s are to be short-term relief from bird damage until long-term, non-lethal measures can be implemented to eliminate/reduce problems. 3 years and counting with no end in sight, doesn’t seem “short-term”. “Long-term, non-lethal measures” don’t seem to be in the works for USFWS/MFWP.

Killing native spp. to support introduced fishery in MT is against YVAS philosophy, sound science, and good ecological management. This deadly bird management/permitting situation is upsetting, inappropriate, and unacceptable to many.

We signed: Stop Shooting of Native Piscivorous Birds, Miles City, Montana Fish Hatchery

Lynne

Laramie, WY

Sat, 2021-04-24 14:59

#1042

John

Bozeman, MT

Fri, 2021-04-23 11:40

#1041

Jenna

Belgrade, MT

Fri, 2021-04-23 00:04

#1040

Gina

BELGRADE, MT

Thu, 2021-04-22 15:29

#1039

Isaac

Bozeman, MT

Wed, 2021-04-21 23:58

#1038

kathy

Bozeman, MT

Wed, 2021-04-21 11:16

#1037

David

Miles City, MT

Tue, 2021-04-20 11:57

#1036

Cheryl

Great Falls, MT

Sat, 2021-04-17 00:34

#1035

Dave

Great Falls, MT

Sat, 2021-04-17 00:33

#1034

Heidi

Billings, MT

Thu, 2021-04-15 23:24

#1033

Thank you for your interest in this issue. This petition has expired and is no longer accepting signatures.