Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
In Committee
Summary
This bill would create an adaptively managed pinniped program to protect salmon and steelhead, centered on reducing pinniped predation while keeping navigation and tribal fishing rights intact. It pairs a technology accelerator to block pinnipeds from critical habitat with a tightly limited, permit-based lethal-take path in specified Washington waters.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Columbia River pinniped exclusion program
This bill would create a Columbia River Pinniped Exclusion Technology Accelerator inside NOAA Fisheries, subject to the availability of appropriations. The program would fund and promote devices that keep most pinnipeds from moving upstream into salmon and other anadromous fish habitat in the Columbia River mainstem and tributaries in Washington and Oregon. Technologies supported could not block commercial, recreational, or tribal navigation or interfere with salmon migration. The bill would also broaden the adaptive management rules to address pinnipeds, not only sea lions.
State and tribal lethal-take permits
This bill would let the State of Washington and eligible western Washington tribes apply for permits to intentionally and humanely remove certain seals and sea lions in Washington rivers and streams. Permits would last up to five years and could be renewed. The Secretary would set application, monitoring, delegation, and reporting rules and would limit all permitted lethal takes to no more than 10 percent of the covered pinnipeds' annual potential biological removal (PBR). The Secretary must report to Congress starting within one year and must suspend permit issuance if, after five years, lethal removal is no longer needed to protect listed fish. The bill would not change any tribe's treaty or other legal rights.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
WA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov