States findings of the Legislature and supports curtailment of the pelican population.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE SENATE
SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 115
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
A JOINT MEMORIAL	1
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESEN-	2
TATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, THE CONGRESSIONAL	3
DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED	4
STATES, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.	5
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and the House of Representatives	6
of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the	7
Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:	8
WHEREAS, Idaho has a plethora of ecosystems, such as Harriman State	9
Park and Island Park, which lie within an 11,000-acre wildlife refuge in the	10
greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Camas National Wildlife Refuge southwest of	11
Harriman, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge on Idaho's eastern border, and	12
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge in north Idaho, that provide vital habitat	13
for a variety of species, of which migratory birds are particularly impor-	14
tant; and	15
WHEREAS, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) was implemented	16
to prevent the extinction of birds due to unsustainable feather-trading and	17
hunting practices and makes it illegal to "take," which includes harassing,	18
pursuing, capturing, killing, selling, trading, buying, and transporting,	19
among other activities, a protected migratory bird species, of which there	20
are over 1,000, without prior authorization by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife	21
Service (USFWS); and	22
WHEREAS, one such protected migratory bird species is the pelican,	23
which is also classified as a predator species as they feast on fish; and	24
WHEREAS, a once-endangered species, the pelican has made a remarkable	25
return and has established a stronghold in Idaho's abundant wetland refuge	26
ecosystems such that its population is beginning to impact the overall use	27
and health of the ecosystem; and	28
WHEREAS, Idaho's streams and rivers are renowned by fishermen across	29
the nation, particularly the Henry's Fork River that meanders for eight	30
miles through Harriman State Park, attracting fly-fishers from all four	31
corners of the state and nation thereby generating revenues for the local	32
community and business owners; and	33
WHEREAS, predatory birds, such as pelicans, have been documented to	34
harvest more fish in Idaho than fisherman; and	35
WHEREAS, pelicans have been documented to consume over three pounds of	36
fish per day; and	37
WHEREAS, over 30% of the electronic fish tags that originated in Idaho's	38
renowned Silver Creek were documented by the Idaho Department of Fish and	39
Game (IDFG) in pelican feces at the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge pel-	40
ican rookeries; and	41
WHEREAS, millions of sportsmen's dollars are spent by IDFG to create,	42
promote, and enhance Idaho's fishing opportunities; and	43

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2
WHEREAS, the pelican, a protected migratory bird under the MBTA, is ac-	1
tively managed and bred by the USFWS and cannot be taken, harassed, killed,	2
or otherwise disturbed without prior authorization by the USFWS; and	3
WHEREAS, the rigorous protections of the MBTA and other environmental	4
acts have successfully ensured this predatory bird's survival but are now	5
hindering the survival of other species and conflicting with areas' tradi-	6
tional use due to the birds' overpopulation.	7
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular	8
Session of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of	9
Representatives concurring therein, that the Legislature supports and urges	10
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to curtail, or allow curtailment of, the	11
number of pelicans within Idaho.	12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature supports and urges the fed-	13
eral government to compensate the State of Idaho for loss of its resources	14
due to the pelican's overpopulation.	15
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is	16
hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the	17
President of the United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker	18
of the House of Representatives of Congress, the congressional delegation	19
representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States, and the	20
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.	21

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