Authorization that allows states and tribes to lethally remove hundreds of sea lions from the Columbia and Willamette rivers as a way to reduce predation on salmon and steelhead has been extended for five more years by NOAA Fisheries.
This is the second 5-year iteration of the 120(f) permit under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The first was approved in 2020 by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). The first permit allowed Northwest states and Columbia River tribes to lethally remove 176 Steller sea lions and 540 California sea lions over the five-year period ending this year.
“The initial 120(f) permit was extended for 5 more years,” said Doug Hatch, Fishery Science Department Deputy Manager and Senior Fishery Scientist at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. “All other parts of the permit remain in place. The idea was to extend the permit with the same take limits. This allowed NOAA to approve the permit without a new analysis.”
States and tribes lethally removed 116 California sea lions and 114 Steller sea lions during the first five year permit period, according to Robert Anderson, lead pinniped expert for NOAA Fisheries. That leaves a potential take over the next five year permit period of 424 California and 62 Steller sea lions.
Bounties and market hunting once drove California sea lions toward extinction, but they rebounded under the protection of the MMPA and now number more than 250,000. The eastern stock of the larger Steller sea lions has also increased over the last decade to more than 70,000 animals.
Data shows that sea lions can consume significant numbers of fish—up to 44 percent of the Columbia River spring chinook run and 25 percent of the Willamette winter steelhead run each year.
Removal of the sea lions is conservatively estimated to already have saved about 100,000 salmon and steelhead, some listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to Hatch.
Hatch said the team that removes the animals is ready to go. “We’re just waiting on the them (sea lions) to show up at Bonneville,” which generally is in the spring as they first follow smelt and then spring Chinook salmon as they travel upriver.
Also, a part of the original plan was to remove sea lions from Columbia River tributaries downstream of McNary Dam, but that is currently not happening, but may in the spring, Hatch said. “Additionally, budget cuts may impact our ability to do trib removals,” he added.
“Under Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, thousands of threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead have been protected from predation,” NOAA Fisheries said in 2020 when first announcing the authorization. Previously sea lion removal was only allowed at Bonneville Dam and Willamette Falls in Oregon.
Known as the Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act, Congressional legislation in 2018 amended the MMPA. The first permit was granted by NOAA Fisheries August 19, 2020, giving the states and tribes co-manager status on an expanded authorization to lethally remove both California and Steller sea lions in the Columbia River, between river mile 112 (I-205 bridge) and river mile 292 (McNary Dam), or in any tributary to the Columbia River that includes spawning habitat of threatened or endangered salmon or steelhead. The permit also includes the Willamette River.
ESA-listed species are Lower Columbia River chinook salmon, Snake River fall chinook, Snake River spring/summer chinook, Upper Columbia River spring chinook, Upper Willamette River chinook salmon, Lower Columbia River steelhead, Middle Columbia River steelhead, Snake River Basin steelhead, Upper Columbia River steelhead, Upper Willamette River steelhead, Columbia River chum salmon, Lower Columbia River coho salmon, Snake River sockeye salmon and Southern Distinct Population Segment of eulachon (smelt).
NOAA and the applicants had said in 2020 that “sea lion predation is having a significant negative impact on the recovery on the above-mentioned fishery stocks.” Additionally, the original and subsequent applications state that removal of sea lions is also intended to protect species of lamprey or sturgeon that may not be listed as endangered or threatened but are listed as a species of concern.
Addressing sea lion predation is part of a comprehensive salmon and steelhead recovery strategy, NOAA had said.
As the MMPA requires, NOAA Fisheries had convened a Task Force to review the most recent application and provide a recommendation. The Task Force recommended that NOAA Fisheries approve the application and grant the new authorization.
Applicants for the authorization are:
— Fish and wildlife agencies in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho
— Nez Perce Tribe
— Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
— Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation
— Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
— Willamette Committee
The Task Force met on May 28, 2025. At the meeting, all Task Force members present (12 of 20) recommended approving the Eligible Entities’ application. On July 25, 2025, the Task Force submitted its final report and recommendations to NMFS, according to NOAA’s Anderson.
On August 22, 2025, the WCR issued a permit under MMPA section 120(f) to the Eligible Entities for five-years (2025-2030) to remove sea lions in the 120(f) geographic area.
“The Eligible Entities sought no changes to the terms and conditions in the August 14, 2020, permit, other than to renew the existing permit for a 5-year period that would begin on the date of issuance of the permit,” Anderson said. “In their application, the Eligible Entities only requested to take the balance of animals left over from the August 14, 2020, permit.”
Sea lion management in the Columbia River Basin is nothing new and has been ongoing for over a decade. However, prior to this MMPA authorization, the states were only able to remove California sea lions at two locations—and only then after spending years documenting predation, meeting multiple criteria for removal of individual sea lions, as well as expending considerable effort with non-lethal methods such as relocation and hazing that had largely proved futile.
Although managers have carried out lethal removals of California sea lions on the Columbia River for years, the 2020 permit and now this 2025 permit represent the first time Steller sea lions may also be removed.
For background, see:
— CBB, July 28, 2022, Efforts Under NOAA Permit To Remove, Euthanize Salmon-Eating Sea Lions In Columbia, Willamette Rivers Showing Promising Results, Efforts Under NOAA Permit To Remove, Euthanize Salmon-Eating Sea Lions In Columbia, Willamette Rivers Showing Promising Results – Columbia Basin Bulletin
— CBB, August 14, 2020, NOAA Fisheries Authorizes Expanded Lethal Removal Of Salmon-Eating Sea Lions In Columbia River From Portland To McNary Dam, Tributaries, NOAA Fisheries Authorizes Expanded Lethal Removal Of Salmon-Eating Sea Lions In Columbia River From Portland To McNary Dam, Tributaries – Columbia Basin Bulletin
— CBB, May 8, 2020, 2019 PINNIPED PREDATION REPORT: SEA LIONS TAKE 3.3 PERCENT OF SALMON/STEELHEAD RUN JANUARY THROUGH MAY, BIG HIT ON WINTER STEELHEAD https://www.www.www.columbiabasinbulletin.org/2019-pinniped-predation-report-sea-lions-take-3-3-percent-of-salmon-steelhead-run-january-through-may-big-hit-on-winter-steelhead/
— CBB, April 23, 2020, 23-MEMBER TASK FORCE SET TO MEET TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPANDING LETHAL REMOVAL OF SEA LIONS IN COLUMBIA RIVER, TRIBUTARIES 23-Member Task Force Set To Meet To Consider Recommendations For Expanding Lethal Removal Of Sea Lions In Columbia River, Tributaries – Columbia Basin Bulletin
— CBB, June 20, 2019, “States, Tribes Seek NOAA Permit To Expand Lethal Removal Of Sea Lions From Columbia River, Tributaries; Could Allow Euthanizing Up To 400 Animals Feeding On ESA Salmon, Sturgeon,” https://www.www.www.columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-tribes-seek-noaa-permit-to-expand-lethal-removal-of-sea-lions-from-columbia-river-tributaries-could-allow-euthanizing-up-to-400-animals-feeding-on-esa-salmon-sturgeon/
— CBB, May 23, 2019, “Oregon Removes, Euthanizes 33 California Sea Lions At Willamette Falls, Wild Winter Steelhead Run Up Considerably,” https://www.www.www.columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-removes-euthanizes-33-california-sea-lions-at-willamette-falls-wild-winter-steelhead-run-up-considerably/
— CBB, January 11, 2019, “With new permit, Oregon begins lethally removing sea lions at Willamette Falls to Protect Steelhead,” https://www.www.www.columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-new-permit-oregon-begins-lethally-removing-sea-lions-at-willamette-falls-to-protect-steelhead/