To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to authorize intentional lethal take by certain Indian Tribes of California sea lions and Steller sea lions in a specified portion of the Columbia River, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 9, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
This bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow federally recognized Indian Tribes with ancestral ties to the Columbia River to kill California sea lions and Steller sea lions in the river without federal restrictions. The legislation permits these tribes to intentionally take an unlimited number of these marine mammals at any time, using methods they determine to be humane, and they may designate others to carry out the killings on their behalf. The targeted area spans the Columbia River mainstem and tributaries in Washington and Oregon from the river's mouth to McNary Dam. The bill is designed to help protect salmon populations in the Columbia River, which are preyed upon by these sea lions, while respecting tribal sovereignty and existing treaty rights. No specific funding amount or implementation timeline is mentioned in the legislation.
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