Ashy Storm-Petrel: Candidate for Endangered Species Act Protection

The Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) is essentially endemic to the coast of California and Mexico with nesting colonies on offshore islands, notably the Southeast Farallons, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, San Clemente and Los Coronados and there are some smaller colonies on offshore rocks. Breeding is suspected at one mainland site. Although population censuses are difficult and are influenced by fluctuating oceanic conditions, there is evidence for a 42% over the past 20 years and BirdLife International quotes a high estimate of 10,000 for the entire world population.

Birds remain in the California Current system year-round, especially around the Continental Shelf-Break and are most easily found in Monterey Bay, the Santa Barbara Channel and Gulf of Farallons. The species is regularly encountered by pelagic birding trips out of Monterey Bay (e.g. Shearwater Journeys or 'Monterey Seabirds') where a large fraction of the World population gathers between August and November, numbers peaking in September and October. Large roost regularly form over the north rim of the Monterey Submarine Canyon and large numbers may also encountered on fall trips to the albacore fishing grounds. Ashy's are also seen from various trips out of San Diego aboard The Searcher.

On 15 May 2008, the US Government announced a full status review to determine whether the species warrants listing under the Endangered Species Act. This follows a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. You can download a copy of the CBD petition here. Other prominent organizations have also expressed concern. BirdLife International for instance, has declared Ashy Storm-Petrel as Endangered and the National Aububon Society placed the species on their watchlist. Listing guarantees that federal agencies will be obligated to ensure that any action they authorize, fund, or carry out will not jeopardize the continued existence of the storm-petrel or adversely modify their habitat. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would be required to prepare a recovery plan.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service was petitioned in October 2007 and is required to issue initial findings within 90-days. This did not happen and the CBD threatened legal action. The new deadline is set for 15 Oct 2008. Whilst it is very important for the CBD to keep the pressure on the US F&WS so that performs its job properly, the 90-day window seems a very short period in which to evaluate a poorly known species, and it is understandable that appropriate experts are in short supply. When it comes to potentially endangered species it is probably wise to err on the side of caution, granting a stop gap level of protection as the default if there is any hint that the petition has merit. Make a mistake and it might be too late before you realize it. The final decisions needs to be well-founded and enforceable because flip-flopping will only weaken the concept of Federal protection for wildlife and make it easier for commercial and political interests to undermine or ignore real conservation needs.

The CBD has spearheaded a three-year battle to list the Polar Bear as a federally 'threatened' species and met with success although the Government has already granted permission for oil exploration in key bear territory and the offer of protection comes with significant strings attached.