House Committee Advances Bill to Expand Culling of Seals and Sea Lions for Salmon Protection
The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee has approved the Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act, a bill introduced by U.S. Representative Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington). This legislation aims to expand the culling of seals and sea lions that prey on salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest. The bill builds upon a 2018 law that authorized state and Tribal governments to kill sea lions in parts of the Columbia River basin. The new act extends these culling efforts to include seals, simplifies the process for Washington state and Tribal authorities to obtain permits for lethal removal, and increases the geographic areas where such actions can occur. Representative Baumgartner emphasized that the bill was developed in collaboration with Washington Tribes holding federally recognized treaty fishing rights, calling it a crucial step for salmon protection. While NOAA Fisheries reported that previous cullings saved an estimated 110,000 adult salmon, the agency acknowledged the limited overa...
