June 14, 2011

REP. DICKS ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS
ON LEGISLATION PROTECTING SALMON

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) said Tuesday he was encouraged that the congressional effort to protect threatened and endangered Pacific Northwest salmon from a voracious predator is moving forward in this session of Congress. 

The congressman applauded Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings’ decision to conduct a hearing in the Committee today to review H.R. 946, the Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act, which seeks to assure that salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are not eaten by California sea lions as they move through the Columbia River system.  Rep. Dicks, ranking Democratic Member of the House Appropriations Committee, is a co-sponsor of the legislation drafted by Rep. Hastings to addresses the growing problem that hinders the recovery of salmon as required by the ESA. 

“We see large numbers of non-native California sea lions preying on salmon below the Bonneville Dam,” Rep. Dicks said.   He said the sea lions “have discovered this abundant and easily captured food source, resulting in the deaths of thousands of salmon that could have returned to their birthplace to spawn and help recover the ESA-listed species.” 

Rep. Dicks noted that these sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but because their population has recovered dramatically, California sea lions are not listed under the ESA, he said.  

H.R. 946 would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to authorize the states of Washington and Oregon, along with four Columbia River treaty Tribes, to obtain permits from the Secretary of Commerce for the lethal removal of California sea lions that pose too great a threat to the ESA-listed salmon.

“This is a tough decision but on balance it is an issue of protecting ESA-listed salmon over non-native sea lions,” Congressman Dicks stated.  “I look forward to continue working with Chairman Hastings as this legislation proceeds through the House this year,” he said.


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