Posted on Sat, Sep. 02, 2006

By David Sneed
dsneed@thetribunenews.com

California taxpayers would be able to contribute to sea otter protection under a bill approved by the state Legislature this week and sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill creates a fund financed by an income-tax check-off program. Funds generated by the program would pay for greater protection of sea otters as well as research into their high mortality rates.

It also would require that cat litter sold in California be labeled with instructions for properly disposing of feline waste. Biologists suspect that cat feces are a source of a parasite that is killing large numbers of sea otters.

The bill is now on the governor’s desk. He has until Sept. 30 to decide if he will sign it into law or veto it.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, and co-authored by Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo. Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, voted in favor of the legislation.

California’s sea otters are federally listed as threatened. The animal is making a faltering comeback after being hunted close to extinction.

The otter population has stagnated in recent years partly because of high mortality rates from infectious disease. Biologists consider sea otters to be key indicators of the overall health of the ocean.

"Sea otters are a vital part of California’s rich coastal marine life," Jones said.

The bill permits a box to be placed on state income tax forms that taxpayers can check to make contributions. The tax form currently has 14 such boxes for other causes, which generate varying amounts of money, according to legislative researchers.

The most popular is the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund, which raised more than $624,000 in 2005. The least popular was a senior’s fund, which earned less than $56,000.

Money generated by the otter check-off box would be used for two purposes. Half would go to help fund otter protection activities by the state Department of Fish and Game, such as increased patrolling and enforcement. The other half would fund competitive research grants administered by the state Coastal Conservancy into the causes of the high mortality rates among otters.

Environmental groups supported the legislation. There was no opposition to the bill from fishermen or cat litter manufacturers, said Jim Curland of the group Defenders of Wildlife, one of the bill’s main supporters. This makes him optimistic that Schwarzenegger will sign the bill into law.

"There’s nothing controversial in the bill," Curland said. "Given that, it seems like an easy bill for him to sign."

Reach David Sneed at
781-7930.