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Commission adopts state endangered classification for Island Marble butterfly
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Summary
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted Dec. 12 to adopt staff-recommended state endangered classification for the Island Marble butterfly, citing a single known population on San Juan Island and an estimated 300–500 individuals; staff said federal protections already exist and tools are in place to work with private landowners.
Chair Anderson opened discussion on the Island Marble butterfly after a staff presentation and the commission voted to adopt a state endangered classification as presented by staff.
Taylor Cotton, conservation assessment section manager with the Wildlife Diversity Division, told commissioners the species is now known from a single population on San Juan Island and that listing decisions are based "solely on the biological status and preponderance of available scientific data." She said the species’ restricted range, low abundance and high risk of extinction drove the recommendation: "due to restricted range, low abundance, and high risk of extinction, we recommend that the marble be listed or classified as endangered in Washington." Cotton said staff received 14 written public comments (13 relevant), 12 of which supported the classification, one noted concerns about herbicide use and one opposed because of potential impacts on private landowners.
Commissioners pressed staff for context. Cotton told the commission the butterfly formerly appeared on Vancouver Island, Lopez and San Juan islands but the record is spotty because the species disappeared for decades; current field estimates put the population at roughly 300–500 individuals, concentrated at a single San Juan Island site. She said the butterfly uses several mustard species as host plants and that recent work has identified an additional host species, a positive sign for restoration and management.
On concerns about private-property impacts, Cotton said the state listing changes how "take" is defined but that prohibitions focus on malicious or intentional take. She noted the Island Marble is already federally listed as endangered and that the federal process — and existing conservation tools such as Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAA) and Conservation Benefit Agreements — provide mechanisms to work collaboratively with landowners so they may continue to manage property while participating in recovery measures.
Cotton also outlined recovery work coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including a captive-rearing program that paused in 2025; staff are scouting new locations and anticipate resuming captive rearing in 2026.
Commissioner Melanie Roland moved to adopt the administrative rule as presented by staff (motion text in the record). The motion was seconded and, after the chair called for 'ayes,' the motion carried and the commission adopted the state classification.
Why this matters: with a single known population and a few hundred individuals, commissioners and staff said the species is one stochastic event away from severe decline. Staff and commissioners emphasized that state listing aligns Washington policy with existing federal protections and that on-the-ground conservation, including captive rearing and expanded habitat management with landowners, are the immediate next steps.
The commission recorded the formal adoption of the rule; staff noted that if significant issues arise from public comment or if the commission’s decision differs from staff’s recommendation, additional procedural filings or a subsequent meeting may be required to complete the paperwork.
