Lawsuit Challenges Approval of Catalina Island Mule Deer Eradication Plan

A group of hunting and conservation organizations has filed a lawsuit challenging the approval of a plan to eradicate the mule deer population on Santa Catalina Island.

The lawsuit targets a decision by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to grant a restoration management permit to the Catalina Island Conservancy. The permit authorizes a multi-year effort to eliminate the island’s non-native mule deer herd as part of a broader ecosystem restoration initiative.

Organizations joining the lawsuit include Safari Club International, California Rifle & Pistol Association, California Bowmen Hunters/State Archery Association, Howl for Wildlife, California Deer Association, and the Coalition to Save Catalina Island Deer.

The plaintiffs argue the permit was approved without conducting a full environmental review required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The lawsuit asks the court to halt the eradication plan until the environmental impacts of the project and potential alternatives are fully evaluated.

According to the restoration plan, the entire deer population on the island—estimated to number in the thousands—would be removed over several years by trained wildlife management personnel. Supporters of the project say the deer are not native to the island and were introduced in the early 20th century as a game species.

Conservation officials argue that decades of heavy browsing by deer have damaged native vegetation, threatened rare plant species, and slowed habitat recovery efforts across the island.

Opponents of the eradication effort say completely eliminating the herd is an extreme measure. Many of the organizations involved in the lawsuit argue that traditional wildlife management tools—such as regulated hunting or controlled population reduction—should have been seriously evaluated as alternatives.

Officials in Los Angeles County have also voiced strong concerns about the eradication plan, although the county itself is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit. County leaders have requested that state regulators pause the project and conduct additional review.

Among the county’s concerns is the potential wildfire risk associated with removing the deer population. Some officials argue that without deer grazing, vegetation growth on the island could increase fuel loads and potentially raise fire danger during dry seasons.

The legal challenge adds another chapter to the long-running debate over how wildlife should be managed on Catalina Island. For hunters and conservationists, the case raises broader questions about whether long-established game populations should be eradicated or managed through traditional wildlife management practices.

The outcome of the lawsuit could determine whether the eradication plan moves forward as approved or whether additional environmental review—and consideration of alternatives—will be required before any large-scale removal effort begins.