Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Chapter 1
Goal 2: Protect, manage, enhance, and restore coastal wetland and upland habitats to
benefit migratory birds, as well as other native fish, wildlife, and plant species.
Goal 3: Enhance public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of the Refuge’s
biological and cultural resources through outreach opportunities and quality
wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife observation, environmental
education, and interpretation.
Goal 4: Further strengthen the management partnerships between the Seal Beach
National Wildlife Refuge and Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, while preserving
our respective missions.
1.5.6 History of Refuge Establishment
In 1944, the Department of the Navy (Navy) acquired about 5,000 acres of land in and around
Anaheim Bay from the Alamitos Land Company. Although the Navy purchased the land, the
underlying mineral rights were retained by the former owners. Following the purchase of this
property, all of the submerged lands (areas below the Mean High Water Mark) within the Station
were excluded from the deed and are now held in public trust by the California State Lands
Commission.
Interest in establishing a Refuge at Anaheim Bay on Navy land was initiated in 1954 by waterfowl
hunters seeking opportunities for public hunting areas in coastal Orange County. A number of
private duck clubs had been established in the vicinity of Anaheim Bay, but there were no areas
open to the general public. Supporters of public hunting areas had hoped that the Lea Act (16
U.S.C. 695-695c; 62 Stat. 238), which authorized the Secretary of the Interior to acquire and
develop waterfowl and other wildlife management areas in California, would provide the funding
necessary to create one or more public hunting areas in Orange County. However, the Lea Act
included language stating that no sums appropriated under the Act for the acquisition of lands
could be utilized unless California also set aside funds for the purchase of equivalent acreage. Due
to the restrictive limitations placed on land acquisition by the State, there was no confidence that
State funding would be made available for such acquisitions. As a result, waterfowl hunters
approached the Service about establishing a public hunting area at Seal Beach.
In May 1954, the Service contacted the Navy, which owned the land in and around Anaheim Bay,
regarding a potential hunting program on their land. The Navy responded that in the interest of
public safety, hunting or any public use of its lands would not be permitted. Between 1954 and
1956, the Service made several additional proposals to the Navy for managing the Navy’s lands
including raising food crops to support waterfowl and permitting bow and arrow hunting of deer.
The Navy expressed no interest in any of these proposals.
In 1956, the Navy expressed an interest in developing a fish and wildlife conservation program on
the station. However, the upland area the Service had hoped to manage as foraging habitat for
waterfowl was not available because the Navy was already in negotiations to renew a lease for
agricultural use in that area. As a result, the Service turned its focus to the 500+ acres of
marshland on the station. However, following a biological assessment of the area, the Service
determined it would provide only limited benefits for waterfowl.
In 1961, interest in protecting the marshlands resurfaced when the Navy decided to sell some of its
tidal marshland along the easterly border of the base to Orange County for development as a
marina. In response to the Navy’s proposal to sell a portion of the marsh, a private citizen,
1-14 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge