Columbia River Sea Lions Home News Sea lion relocation efforts suspended - May 5, 2008 Sea lion succumbs during health exam- Apr 29, 2008 Sea lion relocation to begin tomorrow (April 24)- Apr 23, 2008 WDFW to take public comments on proposed sea lion removal- Mar 18, 2008 NOAA Says Three States Can Remove Sea Lions That Threaten Salmon- Mar 18, 2008 [PDF format] Draft EA on States’ Request for MMPA Section 120 Authorization - Jan 17, 2008 Early hazing will help protect white sturgeon- Dec 04, 2007 Task force recommends lethal removal of California sea lions - Nov 02, 2007 [PDF format] Background WDFW statement Questions and Answers Sea Lion Fact Sheet Predation at Bonneville Endangered/Threatened Fish Section 120 Application [PDF Format] Recent Federal Action Other Voices Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission letter [PDF Format] Northwest Power and Conservation Chair letter In The News Deadly force should be option against sea lions Tacoma News Tribune editorial, April 23, 2007 Stop feeding salmon to the lions Oregonian editorial, April 19, 2007 No free lunch on the Columbia Oregonian editorial, April 13, 2006 Get the Lions Off the Fish Ladder Oregonian editorial, April 18, 2005 Related Links Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Idaho Dept. of Fish and Wildlife National Marine Fisheries Service US Army Corps of Engineers Fish Counts at Bonneville Dam Northwest Power and Conservation Council Marine Mammal Protection Act

California sea lion below Bonneville Dam Restoring balance between predators and salmon In recent years, an increasing number of California sea lions has traveled 145 miles up the Columbia River each year to prey on thousands of threatened and endangered spring chinook salmon and steelhead. The California sea lions, part of a robust West Coast population, prey on the fish as they congregate below Bonneville Dam before moving up the dam's fish ladders. Since 2005, Washington and Oregon, with help from Columbia River tribes and federal partners, have tried to haze the sea lions away from the area below the dam. Despite the deterrence efforts, predation on salmon and steelhead has continued to increase. In March 2008, NOAA-Fisheries authorized Washington, Oregon and Idaho to annually remove from the river a certain number of California sea lions known to prey on salmon and steelhead. State wildlife managers have emphasized that their first priority is to relocate as many of those animals as possible to zoos and aquariums. Under provisions of the State Environmental Policy Act, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is soliciting public comments on the sea lion removal proposal. Comments may be submitted from March 21 through April 4 via email (SEPAdesk2@dfw.wa.gov) or by mail to Teresa Eturaspe, SEPA coordinator, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA. Information on the Columbia River sea lion removal proposal will be available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hab/sepa/sepa.htm on Friday, March 21.