Conservationists: Analysis About Killing Birds to Save Fish Ignored

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Conservation groups opposed to the killing of cormorants on the Columbia River to protect steelhead and salmon say they have documents showing a federal agency ignored a finding by its own biologists that the measure would not help the fish.

The groups released the documents on Wednesday. They were obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under a court order. One of the documents is an analysis concluding that killing double-breasted cormorants would not benefit Snake River steelhead or salmon because fish not eaten by cormorants would be eaten by other predators. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. Earlier this year, the agency authorized the U.S. Corps of Engineers to kill 11,000 cormorants on East Sand Island. So far, 158 birds have been killed.