Marbled Murrelet Remains Threatened

Citing continued declines in the population of marbled murrelets in Washington, Oregon and California, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said today the small seabird continues to need the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and will retain its status as a threatened species.
The decision to deny a petition to delist the Washington, Oregon and California population of marbled murrelets is based on strong science and recognition that the tri-state population is distinct from marbled murrelets in Canada and Alaska.
Overwhelming evidence shows marbled murrelets are in deep trouble in Washington, Oregon and California, and we cannot deny them the protection they need, said Tom Strickland, the Department of the Interior's Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. This decision strongly reflects the Obama administration's deep commitment to basing ESA decisions on the best available science.
The marbled murrelet spends much of its life at sea but nests mostly in old-growth forests along the northern Pacific Coast. A 2009 Fish and Wildlife Service review of the species showed the population from San Francisco Bay to the Canadian border declined as much as 34 percent between 2000 and 2008. South of San Francisco Bay, the population dropped 75 percent between 2003 and 2008. About 18,000 birds are estimated to remain in the three states.