Sea Lion Predation in the Pacific Northwest | Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries

The House Committee on Natural Resources GOP Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held an oversight hearing on December 3, 2025, titled "Sea Lion Predation in the Pacific Northwest." The hearing focused on the impact of pinniped predation on threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead populations, the challenges posed by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the effectiveness of current management tools such as Section 120F of the MPA. Witnesses, including representatives from NOAA, tribal commissions, and fishing associations, discussed the limited success of current lethal removal permits, the high costs and logistical challenges of sea lion removal, and the need for expanded regulatory flexibility and increased federal funding to support more effective predator management programs. Several speakers emphasized the importance of tribal involvement, ecosystem-based approaches, and the need to balance marine mammal protection with salmon recovery. The hearing also addressed concerns about proposed budget cuts to NOAA's salmon recovery programs and the need for innovative deterrent technologies and streamlined permitting processes to improve outcomes.