Friday January 23, 2026
SalmonBusiness —
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers from Washington state has raised concerns about the impact of growing sea lion populations on salmon and steelhead trout in the Pacific Northwest, arguing that current protections are putting pressure on already vulnerable fish stocks.
Republican congressman Michael Baumgartner and Democratic congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez said predation by California sea lions has become a serious issue for salmon runs in the Columbia River system.