Marbled Murrelet - Photo: USFWS

MARBLED MURRELET LONG TERM CONSERVATION STRATEGY

The Marbled Murrelet was listed by the Federal Government as a Threatened species in 1992 and listed by Washington State as Endangered in 2016. This endangered seabird feeds in the ocean and flies up to 55 miles inland to nest in old growth forest.

In 1997, Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made commitments to protect Marbled Murrelet habitat in the Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), and since then have operated under an interim conservation strategy. The Washington state population of this unique bird has shrunk by 44% over the last 15 years, leaving only about 7,500 birds remaining. The plight of the murrelet is so dire that in December 2016 the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission uplisted this species’ status from “threatened” to the more serious “endangered.”

The 2016 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Long-Term Conservation Strategy (LTCS) for the Marbled Murrelet documented the lead agencies’ analysis of the proposal and provided an opportunity for government agencies, affected tribes and other members of the public to review the document and provide suggestions for improving the adequacy of the environmental analysis. The DEIS listed six alternatives. After reviewing the alternatives, the conservation community, including OPAS, found all alternatives lacking a plan that would prevent the Marbled Murrelet from continuing its population decline. OPAS and other Audubon chapters supported a Conservation Alternative that would achieve the following biological goals for the Marbled Murrelet population in Washington State: 1) a stable or increasing population for at least a 10-year period, 2) an increasing geographic distribution, and 3) a population that is resilient to disturbances. Read OPAS’ comments.

The 2018 revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS) for the LTCS is a joint document produced by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This document is intended to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for environmental review. DNR and the USFWS did not consider the Conservation Alternative in the eight alternatives listed, none that will likely prevent the Marbled Murrelet from extirpation in Washington State. Read OPAS’ comments.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), released jointly September 20, 2019, by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Department of Natural Resources covers both the state and federal environmental reviews (SEPA and NEPA). The 1,590-page FEIS includes analysis of eight strategy alternatives including Alternative H, which is the preferred alternative of the Board of Natural Resources (BNR) and USFWS. Each action alternative provides a unique approach to Marbled Murrelet habitat conservation, designating varying amounts of habitat for conservation and applying conservation measures to ensure long-term protection of forest lands important to the Marbled Murrelet.

On December 3, 2019, the Board of Natural Resources passed Alternative H by a 4 - 2 vote. Twenty-two years have passed since the “interim” conservation strategy was put into place for the Marbled Murrelet. The adopted murrelet conservation strategy is the product of more than two decades of research and collaboration with scientists and community members throughout western Washington to develop a conservation plan for the federally threatened species. Learn more about the details of the plan.