The Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act is a bipartisan bill to improve the survival of endangered salmon, steelhead and other native fish species in the Columbia River system. The legislation provides tribal members and government fish managers with the means to remove sea lions from specific areas where they are posing the most harm. Historic recovery efforts of endangered salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia River have been compromised by exponentially increasing sea lion predation in recent years. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), California sea lions have killed the largest proportion of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead this year than any year since 2011. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that at the current rate, the Willamette Winter Steelhead run faces a 90 percent chance of extinction if nothing changes.
