State panel won’t list marbled murrelet as endangered

(Update: Friday decision to delay murrelet survival guidelines)

On a 4-2 vote, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission declined to uplist the marbled murrelet from threatened to endangered during its meeting in Baker City Thursday.

Commissioners who voted in favor of not uplisting the seabird noted Oregon State University researchers are in the second year of a state-funded 10-year study of marbled murrelets.

“Let’s wait a few years and let scientists update us on how this species is doing,” said Chair Mike Finley.

The commission heard testimony from more than 30 people, including several county commissioners from coastal communities concerned about the economic impact of the decision.

On Friday, the commission opted to delay adoption of marbled murrelet survival guidelines until their Aug. 3 meeting in Salem to allow staff more time to refine the advisory rule language.

Once adopted, the guidelines would encourage (but not require) certain actions to conserve this seabird on state-owned or state-leased land. The rules would not apply to private property or non-state public land.

In other business Thursday, the Commission:

Approved a 2019-21 ODFW budget which now goes to Governor Brown and in 2019 to the Legislature for approval. Allocated 2019 big game auction and raffle tags and approved funding for several Access and Habitat projects, which open private land to hunting access or improve wildlife habitat. Adopted 2018-20 furbearer regulations as proposed by staff. These new regulations will be in effect from July 1, 2018-June 30, 2020 and will be available online by July 1. Adopted new rules to allow off-reservation hunting for subsistence and ceremonial purposes as outlined in a Memorandum of Agreement between the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation (CTWS) and the State of Oregon. The hunt area primarily includes federal public lands throughout the CTWS ceded lands as described in an 1855 Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon. On Friday, the c ommission adopted sardine harvest limits in keeping with federal recommendations and were briefed on the results of a technical review and public process regarding the potential establishment of thermal fishing sanctuaries in the Columbia River.

Finally, commissioners were briefed on staff proposals to simplify big game hunting regulations and heard testimony from six people. Final action on the proposals will be taken at their Sept. 14 meeting in Bandon , when the Commission adopts 2019 Big Game Hunting Regulations, though some proposed changes require legislative approval and will take longer.