Poison drop on Farallon Island Video

[Shepherd]

Please watch this video and if you agree this is not the way to handle this problem, please send a comment via www.PoisonFreeSanctuary.org

https://vimeo.com/345119059

 Norma.   A new ethic for the ocean where the ocean is not seen as a commodity we own but as a community of which we are a part. The sea is worth saving for its own sake. Bill Ballantine NZ. And take this to the land as well.

[sealwatcher]

Sheer madness. In my opinion, this is way out of line with reason and must be closed down right away. F&W should be put on notice for putting this forward. Please prepare your comment, place it and whatever else you can do to stop this from going forward. It may come to litigation, it may come to direct action of some kind.

Please watch this video and if you agree this is not the way to handle this problem, please send a comment via www.PoisonFreeSanctuary.org...

[Shandi]

Unconscionable and untenable!

Sheer madness. In my opinion, this is way out of line with reason and must be closed down right away. F&W should be put on notice for putting this forward. Please prepare your comment, place it and whatever else you can do to stop this from going forward. It may come to litigation, it may come to direct action of some kind.

[Roseanna]

I sent an email out after reading this post on Waccobb, and included Michael Ellis on the list....he wrote me back saying that Fish and Game's action with controlling the rodent population at the Farallons is critical for the existing nesting birds. Take a look at this perspective from a naturalist who has lead many trips to the Galapagos Islands as well as the Farallons for many years. Roseanna



http://www.kqed.org/perspectives/201...-the-farallons

[SonomaPatientsCoop]

I have to say, I first heard about this on a science based board I frequent. And while my gut reaction was "this is wrong"... after doing a lot of reading and seeing the overwhelming support in papers from scientists and biologists that this was hands down the lesser of two evils...

[O.W.]

So we're down to "lesser of 2 evils"? That's why we are here where we are today, looking directly in the eyes of human extinction. I find lesser of 2 evils a total cop out. They need to come up with another alternative.
"

The adverse impacts of the “by kill” from this project can be anticipated to extend to the random distribution of hazardous contaminated carcasses of gulls along the mainland coast, according to the EPA. The health of the food chain of so many species of wildlife along our coast is not worth the risks posed by this poorly-planned proposal."

Cea Higgins of Coastwalk and Dr. Richard Charter have led a group of us that don't give up to stop this. Letter is below.

California Coastal Commission
Attn: Mr. Larry Simone and California Coastal Commissioners
Energy Ocean Resources and Federal Consistency Division
45 Fremont Street, Ste. 2000
San Francisco, 94105-2219
Re: CD-0002-19 (Agenda item: W14a) – DENY Federal Consistency Determination of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for South Farallon Islands Invasive House Mouse Eradication Project, Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Dear Commissioners:

The undersigned organizations, collectively representing the grassroots and intergovernmental movement that led to the multiple layers of state, federal, and international recognition for the wildlife and environmental resources surrounding the Farallon Islands, are writing to hereby respectfully request that the Coastal Commission deny a finding of consistency to the proposed helicopter dispersal of a highly-toxic and systemic poison, known to have dangerous ecosystem impacts to non-target species, onto the Farallones. The adverse impacts of the “by kill” from this project can be anticipated to extend to the random distribution of hazardous contaminated carcasses of gulls along the mainland coast, according to the EPA. The health of the food chain of so many species of wildlife along our coast is not worth the risks posed by this poorly-planned proposal.

The Farallones are the epicenter of one of the most hard-won and comprehensively-protected places on Earth. The strong conservation movement in our region led to the 1908 designation of Muir Woods National Monument, the first such protected area in Marin County. The 1962 creation of Point Reyes National Seashore, followed by the 1972 designation of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, were precursors to the groundswell of effort leading to the 1981 designation of the original Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary, now the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, to surround the Farallones National Wildlife Refuge. The additional 2010 protection of the Farallones within a California Marine Reserve, created under the state’s Marine Life Protection Act, further enhanced the protection of these waters.

Each of these layers of protection was supported in bipartisan fashion
by our Members of Congress, by our Governors, by our local officials, and by
millions of citizen activists who worked tirelessly for decades. An International
Biosphere Reserve, created by UNESCO, further recognized the unique
ecological values here in the global context. Against this historic backdrop, the
California Coastal Act also had much of its genesis in our region, and we rely
on the diligent administration of the Coastal Act to provide yet one more layer
of necessary protection for this unparalleled national treasure.

Quite simply, the above described constellation of protected areas is not the
appropriate place for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct an
experiment of a type that has failed, with devastating results to wildlife and the
environment, in so many places throughout the world. The cost-benefit ratio
associated with the random distribution of brodifacoum second-generation rat
poison into the marine and terrestrial environment of an entire region, carried
by avian predators away from the islands as toxic body burden, to the
mainland coast and beyond.

We are aware that the proposed Farallones “drop” is but the first of many
planned throughout the world, with others to follow off the California coast if
this dangerous precedent is mistakenly allowed here. The precedent of
misapplication of our own Coastal Act to condone this kind of damage to our
coast would sadly fail those who came before us and would not be remembered
well by future generations.

Please deny consistency to this proposal.

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Richard Charter
Senior Fellow
Coastal Coordination Program
(other organizations omitted)

I have to say, I first heard about this on a science based board I frequent. And while my gut reaction was "this is wrong"... after doing a lot of reading and seeing the overwhelming support in papers from scientists and biologists that this was hands down the lesser of two evils...

[O.W.]

UPDATE: Great News: WE WON!

Dear Colleagues

After several hours of deliberation and testimony at today’s Coastal Commission hearing to determine Federal Consistency for the USFWS mouse eradication project -USFWS pulled their application for their poison drop on the Farallones because of their clearly perceived lack of supportive votes from Coastal Commissioners....so we won, at least for now. Considering that Coastal Commission staff supported the project and recommended approval-this was a hard fought victory that would not have occurred without all of your support, comments, and coordinated voices of opposition..

Gratitude as deep as the ocean,

Cea Higgins
Executive Director
Coastwalk/CCTA