https://www.votervoice.net/CCAPNW/1/Campaigns/38628/RespondSupport Bipartisan Federal Sea Lion Legislation
On January 27, Washington Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Camas) was joined by Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) in introducing legislation to better protect endangered Columbia and Willamette River salmon and steelhead from predation from marine mammals. CCA was prominently mentioned in the Congressional press release , which included a quote from CCA's Gary Loomis.
The legislation would authorize NOAA, the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho, as well as the Columbia River treaty tribes, to remove sea lions from areas in which they are negatively impacting endangered salmonid runs. Under current law, the removal process is cumbersome, ineffectual, and only applies to the Columbia below Bonneville Dam.
Anyone who has visited Willamette Falls recently knows what a serious problem sea lions are. A recent estimate from NOAA found that sea lions are consuming as much as 45% of the endangered Columbia River spring Chinook run. Expanding populations of sea lions (California and Stellar) are having a significant impact on endangered salmon, steelhead, and struggling sturgeon populations.
Please take action now to send a pre-drafted email to your U.S. House member and U.S. Senators encouraging them to support a solution to this growing problem before we lose our remaining wild, endangered salmon runs and our fisheries.
It will take you less than 2 minutes, so please act today and share this with your friends! Congress will only take action if they hear from all of us!
