Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill allows Washington state and local tribes to humanely kill certain seals and sea lions. This action is meant to stop these animals from eating too many endangered salmon and steelhead trout in the Columbia River and other Washington waterways.
• The plan targets harbor seals, California sea lions, and Steller sea lions. However, officials can only remove animals from populations that are healthy and not considered at risk. The total number killed each year cannot be more than 10 percent of the amount the population can lose while still staying healthy.
• A new program called the Pinniped Exclusion Technology Accelerator would be created. This group would work on finding new, high-tech ways to keep seals away from fish habitats without hurting them or blocking boats.
• The government must track the seal populations and report every year on how much they are affecting salmon recovery. After 10 years, a major study will look at whether these actions actually helped the fish populations grow.

Impact Analysis

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