The U.S. House Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee held a hearing on sea lion predation on salmon and the effectiveness of killing the mammals to slow down the trend. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), sea lions skyrocketed from a population of roughly 10,000 in the 1950s to 250,000 today. That spike has been seen as a success story for the MMPA, but it’s also had a major impact on salmon populations. … That predation has undermined the federal government’s attempts to help salmon recover in the Pacific Northwest, which includes tens of millions of dollars in funding every year.

Other anadromous fish news:

• NOAA Fisheries: News release: Most threatened and endangered Pacific coast salmon populations increased after listings​
• California Trout: Blog: Post-fire survey reveals quality habitat after fire in Trabuco Creek
• Delta Stewardship Council: News release: Water year 2024 and 2025 winter-run chinook salmon annual loss independent peer review