Breaking News

More () »

Environment

U.S. allows killing sea lions eating at-risk Northwest salmon

Sea lions long ago figured out they could feast on the migrating fish where they bottleneck at dams or where they head up tributaries to spawn.

Credit: AP

FILE - In this April 24, 2008, file photo, a sea lion eats a salmon in the Columbia River near Bonneville Dam in North Bonneville, Wash. Federal authorities on Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, granted permission for Washington state, Oregon and several Native American tribes to begin killing hundreds of salmon-hungry sea lions in the Columbia River and its tributaries over the next five years. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

Editor's note: The above video previously aired on KING 5 in 2018 on sea lions being killed in the Seattle area.

SEATTLE -- U.S. authorities have given wildlife managers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho permission to start killing hundreds of sea lions in the Columbia River basin in hopes of helping struggling salmon and steelhead.

The bulky marine mammals long ago figured out they could feast on the migrating fish where they bottleneck at dams or where they head up tributaries to spawn.

The sea lions have been a long-running conundrum, pitting mammals protected under federal law against protected fish runs.

The permit granted Friday allows the states and several Native American tribes to kill 540 California sea lions and 176 Steller sea lions over the next five years.