Hahn Urges State to Protect Communities by Rejecting Deer Plan

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn sent a letter Jan. 26 to Valerie Termini, the new Interim Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or CDFW, urging the Department to reject a permit application by the Catalina Island Conservancy that would authorize the eradication of the island’s mule deer population.
Central to Hahn’s letter is a new memo from Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, which warns that eliminating Catalina Island’s entire deer population would increase wildfire risk.

“According to our Fire Chief, wiping out the deer would remove one of the island’s most effective forms of vegetation management,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Without deer grazing, fuel loads would grow significantly, making wildfires more likely and more dangerous.”

In his memo, Chief Marrone raises concerns that eliminating all deer would allow vegetation to accumulate unchecked, increasing fire intensity and threatening the city of Avalon. He instead recommends maintaining a smaller, managed deer population to help naturally reduce vegetation and fuel loads across the island.

Excerpt from Marrone memo:
From a wildfire risk perspective, complete removal of mule deer presents operational concerns. In the absence of herbivory, chaparral fuel loads would increase, resulting in higher tons per acre and elevated ERC values. Fuel age classes exceeding 25 years are extremely difficult to manage during wildfire incidents and significantly increase suppression complexity.

Increased fuel loading would elevate wildfire risk to developed areas, particularly in Avalon and other locations where heavy fuels are present within 200 feet of structures. Conversely, maintaining a reduced mule deer population can provide a measurable reduction in understory vegetation and seedling establishment, moderating fuel continuity and, under certain conditions, improving firefighting effectiveness depending on weather, fuels, and topography.

Santa Catalina Island—outside the City of Avalon—is unincorporated Los Angeles County and lies within Hahn’s district. In 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to oppose the conservancy’s previous permit application.

While the conservancy has abandoned its earlier proposal to use aerial sharpshooting, the revised plan would still eradicate the island’s entire deer population over a five-year period using professional hunters. Hahn called the approach drastic and unnecessary.
“Mule deer have been part of Catalina’s landscape for nearly a century, and they are deeply valued by the people who live on and visit the island,” Hahn said. “I continue to hear from long-time residents who cherish these animals and want a more balanced, humane solution.”

Hahn urged CDFW to reject the current permit application and instead work with the Conservancy to pursue alternatives that protect the island’s ecosystem without increasing fire risk or eliminating the deer entirely.

“There is a clear path forward that preserves a smaller deer population, reduces wildfire danger, and treats wildlife humanely,” Hahn said. “I am asking the state to listen to our fire experts and choose a smarter, safer approach for Catalina Island.”

Details: Read Hahn’s letter and Chief Marrone’s memo here.