OC comments on USFWS permit changes

[Laura Bies]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously announced proposed revisions to their regulations governing migratory bird and eagle permits. The proposed changes span several sections of regulations and several permit types, modifying five existing regulatory authorizations (situations where a permit is not necessary) and proposing several new regulatory authorizations.

The Ornithological Council submitted comments on the proposal, touching on many of the proposed regulatory changes. In particular, the OC thanked the USFWS for the proposed citizen salvage provision, which would allow citizens to collect and donate to museums and education institutions bird carcasses they find, without requiring them to secure a salvage permit. The OC was also grateful to see the proposed regulatory authorization for drone use in ornithological research, which the OC has been working towards for years.

Learn more about the other proposed changes and the OC’s suggestions in our comment letter.

About the Ornithological Council

The Ornithological Council is a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists; these societies span the Western Hemisphere and the research conducted by their members spans the globe. Their cumulative expertise comprises the knowledge that is fundamental and essential to science-based bird conservation and management.  The Ornithological Council is financially supported by our member societies and the individual ornithologists who value our work. If the OC’s resources are valuable to you, please consider joining one of our member societies or donating directly at Birdnet.org. Thank you for your support!

[J.R. Jehl, Jr]

Thank you, OC. Susan and Jeff for your help in simplifying and improving rules of possession. This will be especially helpful in my research, which has often involved salvaging hundreds to thousands of  grebes killed in weather events. 

J.Jehl