Salish Sea Science Key Facts
THE REAL SOLUTION TO SAVING SALMON IS NOT KILLING SEALS AND SEA LIONS.
The goal of the SSSC is to protect the en?re Salish Sea ecosystem—including salmon, pinnipeds (harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and California sea lions) and preserving the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
Two bills now before Congress—H.R. 9621 and H.R. 9637—would weaken the MMPA to allow pinnipeds to be killed in an effort to save salmon. This is the wrong solution to a complex problem.
Killing Seals and Sea Lions Won’t Save Salmon
Salmon have been declining in the Pacific Northwest since the 19th Century—long before the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Over time, their loss has increased.
- The primary cause of salmon decline are habitat loss, stream blockages, ocean overfishing, and pollution. Climate change is also a factor, as confirmed by NOAA.
- There is no scientific evidence that killing pinnipeds will restore salmon. Seals and sea lions quickly move back into areas where salmon congregate. What's more, it's reported that from 1947 to 1960, bounty hunters killed 17,000 seals in Washington, but salmon runs still declined.
- Salmon are only a small part of harbor seal diets in the Salish Sea. A 2022 analysis found that hake make up about 24% of their diet, Pacific herring 22%, and salmon only 1.6% to 6%.
- Less than 10% of juvenile salmonoids survive to adulthood. In part, because juvenile fish are at the base of the aquatic food web, and 66% species of marine predators eat them.
- June 2026 data from the Pacific Salmon Commission shows that for more than 20 years, ocean fisheries have killed thousands more Chinook salmon each year than was previously reported.
- Killing pinnipeds could disrupt the entire ecosystem. Hake and other predators could increase. More than 137 species, including bears, others, wolves, and resident orcas, eat salmon. Juvenile salmon make up 66% of the diet of hake.
- Biggs orcas (transients) in Puget Sound rely on pinnipeds for their diets. That is a natural way to control the population, and if too many seals and sea lions are killed, it could affect the Biggs orcas.
View the Evidence
Let’s work together to protect salmon and our beautiful marine environment that includes so many species!
The Bills Have Other Serious Problems
Several Issues outlined
- H.R. 9621 has not meaningful limits on where or when pinnipeds could be killed. This could include seals who don’t eat salmon (not all species do), and potentially mothers and pups. (H.R. 9637 focuses on the Columbia River.)
- While H.R. 9621 claims it allows that only 10% of the pinniped populations can be killed, there is no funding to monitor the populations or identify the species—so how can that be regulated?
- The bills allow shooting. Animals that are wounded and not killed could suffer a prolonged and painful death.
FIND & CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
Visit: house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.
Or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your U.S. Representative or Senators.
Volunteer / Questions: info@salishseasc.com
We Can Do Better, Based on Science
What will work for helping salmon?
A number of things have made a difference, and if we all work together, more options could be explored.
- Removing dams, such as those on the Elwha River, and fixing stream blockages by culverts or bridges are helping to restore salmon.
- Restoring habitat, such as replanting bushes and native plants around creeks have also shown increases in the number of salmon spawning.
- Cleaning up waters and laws restricting pollution not only helps salmon, but other fish and marine creatures.
- Restricting ocean overfishing is also critical. Involving both Alaskan and Bri?sh Columbian fisheries to reduce the means of over-harvesting could make a big difference in our salmon populations.
- Limiting greenhouse gases and supporting laws that address climate change can also improve the environment for all marine life.