LA Superior Court hears challenge to Catalina Island’s deer eradication plan.

Environmental and hunting advocacy groups have initiated legal action against the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), challenging a controversial resource management plan that proposes the eradication of the entire mule deer population on Catalina Island. This lawsuit, filed on March 9, 2026, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, asserts that the plan, which aims to remove approximately 2,040 deer that have inhabited the island for over a century, was improperly approved without the requisite environmental review.

The plaintiffs contend that the CDFW’s decision to exempt the Catalina Island Conservancy’s (CIC) Resource Management Plan (RMP) from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is both illegal and unjustified. The legal action highlights concerns that employing aerial methods, such as nets dropped from helicopters, to capture the deer could inadvertently endanger federally protected species, including golden and bald eagles, by disturbing their nests.

At the heart of the lawsuit is the claim that the exemption granted to the CIC violates state law, as it was sanctioned not by the agency’s director as required, but rather by Joshua Grover, the deputy director of CDFW’s Ecosystem Conservation Division. The plaintiffs argue that such exemptions are reserved for projects with minimal environmental impact, whereas a comprehensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR)—which includes broader considerations of potential harm to various species and public stakeholder engagement—was warranted for the actions proposed in this plan.

Proponents of the deer eradication strategy argue that the deer pose a significant threat to Catalina’s natural ecosystem by consuming native plants and introducing potential ecological instability. The CIC states that the RMP’s restoration projects aim to revitalize the island’s environment by eliminating invasive species. However, the lawsuit alleges that the focus on restoration masks the underlying goal of total deer removal, which could be viewed as an overarching motive.

The CDFW has refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation, citing policy against discussing pending legal matters. However, the department previously indicated that the rationale behind the approval of the RMP was informed by extensive scientific and legal evaluations, intended to promote the recovery of native species and their habitats.

Opponents of the plan, including a coalition representing various interest groups—ranging from wildlife preservation advocates to hunting organizations—argue for alternative population management strategies, such as limited hunting. They stress that recent years have seen an increase in community opposition against aggressive eradication methods, with many residents asserting the cultural and ecological importance of the mule deer within the local landscape.

Catalina Island, located approximately an hour’s boat ride from Long Beach, has become a focal point of heated debate over wildlife management and conservation ethics. The future of the mule deer population hangs in the balance as the judicial review of the controversial eradication plan unfolds, with residents and activists rallying for a more humane and sustainable approach.