Legislation Making It Easier To Kill Sea Lions Clears Senate

A bill that would make it easier to kill sea lions that feast on salmon in the Columbia River has cleared the U.S. Senate.  Wildlife managers say rebounding numbers of sea lions are eating more salmon than ever and their appetites are undermining billions of dollars of investments to restore endangered fish runs.

Senate Bill 3119, which passed Thursday by unanimous consent, would streamline the process for Washington, Idaho, Oregon and several Northwest Native American tribes to capture and euthanize potentially hundreds of sea lions found in the river east of Portland.  The Senate bill is similar to bipartisan legislation passed by the House in June.

Now, the House will have to consider the Senate’s bill, or vice versa, before it heads to President Donald Trump for consideration.

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