Congress began deliberating on a bill last month that would authorize the slaughter of California sea lions in order to protect a Northwest salmon species. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash, would legalize the killing, shooting or euthanasia of any sea lion “seen with a fish in its mouth” in Oregon or Washington. It would override the current law that requires permits to be granted by state officials, which has been described as “inadequate and cumbersome.” Proponents of the bill argue that it would protect salmon by reducing predation by sea lions in a “timely and reasonable manner” and that it would stabilize the Columbia River Ecosystem, to which sea lions are a non-native species. Hasting claims that last year alone, upwards of 6,000 salmon were killed by sea lions. “Northwest residents spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year to protect salmon…and have to sit by while sea lions gorge themselves on thousands of endangered fish,” Hastings said on his website. The Humane Society of the United States, however, opposes the bill, warning that it could result in “vigilante action” against the sea lions. “We believe that this proposed legislation is not only unnecessary but potentially dangerous,” said Sharon Young, the marine issues field director at the Humane Society. Yet the bill sponsors argue that the bill may offer the only solution to curbing the mortality rates of salmon. James Lecky, Director of the Office of Protected Resources in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration testified that the endangered salmon populations are on the decline and are at risk from sea lions and that “over the years, NOAA has worked diligently with states and others to explore non-lethal methods for deterring pinnipeds from preying on listed salmon. Unfortunately, these efforts have yielded limited success.” Growing sea lion numbers have also been said to pose a threat to the livelihoods of traditional Indian populations who rely on salmon fishing as an economic safeguard. Representatives from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission stated that the continued sea lion predation may devastate tribal commercial fishery practices. The House subcommittee heard testimony from both sides at the first deliberation last Tuesday, but has not yet voted on the bill. BM
