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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 22 BY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE A JOINT MEMORIAL1 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE2 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, THE CONGRESSIONAL3 DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED4 STATES, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.5 We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Sen-6 ate of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the7 Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:8 WHEREAS, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) was implemented9 to prevent the extinction of birds due to unsustainable feather-trading and10 hunting practices and makes it illegal to "take," which includes harassing,11 pursuing, capturing, killing, selling, trading, buying, and transporting,12 among other activities, a protected migratory bird species, of which there13 are over 1,000, without prior authorization by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife14 Service (USFWS); and15 WHEREAS, one such protected migratory bird species is the pelican,16 which is also classified as a predator species as they feast on fish; and17 WHEREAS, a once-endangered species, the pelican has made a remarkable18 return and has established a stronghold in Idaho's abundant wetland refuge19 ecosystems such that its population is beginning to impact the overall use20 and health of the ecosystem; and21 WHEREAS, Idaho's streams and rivers are renowned by fishermen across22 the nation, particularly the Henry's Fork River that meanders for eight23 miles through Harriman State Park, attracting fly-fishers from all four24 corners of the state and nation thereby generating revenues for the local25 community and business owners; and26 WHEREAS, predatory birds, such as pelicans, have been documented to27 harvest more fish in Idaho than fisherman; and28 WHEREAS, pelicans have been documented to consume over three pounds of29 fish per day; and30 WHEREAS, over 30% of the electronic fish tags that originated in Idaho's31 renowned Silver Creek were documented by the Idaho Department of Fish and32 Game (IDFG) in pelican feces at the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge pel-33 ican rookeries; and34 WHEREAS, millions of sportsmen's dollars are spent by IDFG to create,35 promote, and enhance Idaho's fishing opportunities; and36 WHEREAS, the pelican, a protected migratory bird under the MBTA, is ac-37 tively managed and bred by the USFWS and cannot be taken, harassed, killed,38 or otherwise disturbed without prior authorization by the USFWS; and39 WHEREAS, the rigorous protections of the MBTA and other environmental40 acts have successfully ensured this predatory bird's survival but are now41 hindering the survival of other species and conflicting with areas' tradi-42 tional use due to the birds' overpopulation.43

2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-1 sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and2 the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature supports and urges the3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to curtail, or allow curtailment of, the num-4 ber of pelicans within Idaho.5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature supports and urges the fed-6 eral government to compensate the State of Idaho for loss of its resources7 due to the pelican's overpopulation.8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Represen-9 tatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of10 this Memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the11 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, the con-12 gressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the13 United States, and the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Ser-14 vice.15