Commission Turns Turncoat on Marbled Murrelet

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission reversed their February decision to uplist the marbled murrelet to endangered under the Oregon Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ironically, this was during a meeting yesterday where the Commission was supposed to adopt survival guidelines for the marbled murrelet.

Quinn Read, Northwest director for Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:

“The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission bowed to the interests of the timber industry, abandoning the conservation leadership they demonstrated just four months ago.

“Voluntary survival guidelines are inadequate to save this species. If the Commission truly believes voluntary guidelines are sufficient to manage Oregon's wildlife, then it would make fishing and hunting regulations voluntary too.

“We are extremely disappointed, but we are not done. Oregonians won't stand for this failure of leadership. Defenders will continue to work with our conservation partners to challenge this indefensible decision."