July 12, 2021 3:40 a.m.

On Friday, the Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4-3 to reclassify the marbled murrelet from Threatened to Endangered, under the state’s Endangered Species Act.

A release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said a total of 28 people testified for and against uplisting the murrelet, including several panelists invited to testify.

The release said the Oregon Endangered Species Act sets up criteria and procedural requirements that apply to the Commission’s determination on whether to reclassify a species. To reclassify or uplist the marbled murrelet as endangered, the Commission must determine that since 1995 when the species was listed as Threatened, the likelihood of survival of the species has diminished such that the species is in danger of extinction throughout any significant portion of its range within Oregon.

Commissioners first voted 4-3 to make that determination. Then they voted 4-3 on determining that the following two factors exist:

*Most populations are undergoing imminent or active deterioration of their range or primary habitat; and

*Existing state or federal programs or regulations are inadequate to protect the species or its habitat.

As part of the uplisting requirements, the Commission voted 5-1 to adopt amended survival guidelines as proposed by staff.

The release said with the marbled murrelet uplisted to Endangered, state natural resource agencies that own, manage or lease lands with marbled murrelet are required to develop an endangered species management plan and submit for approval by the Commission within 18 months of uplisting.

To see all the public testimony and full discussion between Commissioners, see a recording of the Zoom meeting at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqfadPM9V_c