MARINE BIRD CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON STATE 



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acquisition program designed for waterfowl 

 enhancement has benefited seabirds. We now 

 own some 15,500 acres of lands, tideland, and 

 marshes bordering the marine waters (includ- 

 ing our Skagit and Nisqually holdings) which 

 provide habitat and protection for many sea- 

 birds. We also recently acquired 48 acres on 

 Protection Island, designed to protect the 

 nesting area of the rhinoceros auklet. This 

 purchase was an excellent example of how 

 combined efforts of several groups accom- 

 plished a nearly impossible goal. 



Protection Island had been subdivided for 

 summer home development and many lots 

 had been sold. The developer, however, got 

 caught in the requirements of our Shoreline 

 Management Act with his last subdivision. 

 The uproar caused due to the use of this sub- 

 division by auklets created an atmosphere 

 that made subdivision a real conservation 

 issue. The outspoken critics of the project 

 from the Audubon Society, Fish and Wildlife 

 Service," independent conservationists, and 

 our Department enlisted the aid of Nature 

 Conservancy to negotiate for purchase of this 

 subdivision, and after lengthy negotiations 

 the option was obtained, and the Department 

 purchased the land from the Nature Conser- 

 vancy with funds provided by the Inter- 

 agency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. 

 The area now is destined to be a seabird sanc- 

 tuary, with limited public viewing and inci- 

 dental recreation use. This project is an excel- 

 lent example of the power of cooperative ef- 

 forts by conservationists to protect a 

 resource. 



The State of Washington now has a reason- 

 ably good legislative base to insure construc- 

 tive programs for management of our seabird 

 resource. Our legislative authority lies in 

 State statutes under Title 77. These authori- 

 ties first provide that the wild birds, wild ani- 

 mals, and game fish of the State are the prop- 

 erty of the State and that they shall be pre- 

 served, protected, and perpetuated. Any regu- 

 lations for taking shall be designed so as to 

 not "impair the supply thereof." 



The commission also has the authority to 

 classify wild birds. Seabirds, other than 

 hunted species, fall into the category of non- 

 game birds. We also have the authority to 

 regulate the propagation and protection of 

 wild birds, develop rules and regulations for 



taking them (or to prohibit taking them), and 

 to create game reserves and closed areas 

 where necessary to protect various species. 

 Our authorities also include the obligation to 

 enforce the laws, rules, and regulations per- 

 taining to the protection of all wild birds. 



The Department may also acquire land for 

 habitat and for sanctuaries for nongame birds 

 and may exchange lands for these purposes. 

 We may also enter into agreements with the 

 Federal Government, persons, and municipal 

 subdivisions of the State for all matters relat- 

 ing to propagation, protection, and conserva- 

 tion of all wild birds, and may lease State 

 lands for this purpose. 



We believe our authorities are now totally 

 adequate to satisfactorily manage the State's 

 marine bird resources. 



In addition to our personalized license plate 

 legislation, which earmarks funds for non- 

 game wildlife, other State laws and programs 

 assist in protection of this resource. One pro- 

 gram that has assisted materially in provid- 

 ing funds for habitat acquisition is a bond 

 issue passed by citizens of the State designed 

 to acquire and develop recreational land in the 

 State for public use. Our Interagency Com- 

 mittee for Outdoor Recreation provides the 

 necessary mechanism for funding of projects, 

 using these bond monies to match Federal 

 funds. Although recreation is a key factor in 

 obtaining funding, it is still possible to ac- 

 quire key habitat for wildlife and develop a 

 people-use program around the primary pur- 

 pose for acquisition. 



The purchase of a portion of Protection Is- 

 land was accomplished by use of these funds, 

 as I indicated earlier, and we are now working 

 again with Nature Conservancy to acquire 

 key bald eagle habitat on the Skagit River in 

 northwestern Washington. The bond issues 

 total some $50 million, of which this Depart- 

 ment receives about 15%. The State now is in 

 its third bond issue, and we hope the citizens 

 will continue to support this program. 



One of the newer laws is the Shoreline Man- 

 agement Act of 1971. This act provides for de- 

 velopment of comprehensive shoreline man- 

 agement programs designed to control the de- 

 velopment of these areas to insure protection 

 of the public interest, while still recognizing 

 and protecting private property rights consis- 

 tent with this public interest. These plans 



