AB 2722: California Endangered Species Act: wolverines.

The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) requires the Fish and Game Commission to establish a list of endangered species and a list of threatened species, which currently includes wolverines, and to add or remove species from either list if it finds, upon the receipt of sufficient scientific information, as specified, that the action is warranted. The act prohibits the taking of an endangered or threatened species, except in certain situations, including, if specified conditions are met, through the issuance of a permit commonly known as an incidental take permit.

Existing law enumerates fully protected mammals, including wolverines, and prohibits the take or possession of these mammals except under limited circumstances. Existing law, until December 31, 2033, authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue a permit under CESA that would authorize the take of a fully protected species resulting from impacts attributable to the implementation of specified projects if certain conditions are satisfied, including, among others, the conditions required for the issuance of an incidental take permit. Existing law requires the department to develop a plan on or before July 1, 2024, to assess the population status of each fully protected species.

This bill would require the department, in any status assessment for wolverines prepared pursuant to the plan described above, to assess the feasibility of a population reintroduction or supplementation program with the goal of restoring a viable population of wolverines to the state.