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Scientific split emerges over whether pinniped removals will deliver long‑term salmon recovery
Summary
At the hearing on HR 96‑21, state fishery managers and tribal co‑managers argued targeted removals are part of a recovery toolbox, while independent scientists warned removals alone may not reverse long‑term declines and could produce unintended ecological consequences.
The subcommittee hearing revealed a clear divide among witnesses about the likely effect of expanding lethal pinniped management. Nate Pamplin of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said co‑management and targeted removals at hotspots are part of a comprehensive recovery strategy: "We would be looking at specific geographic areas that are known to be a problem, that are impacting listed fish or species of concern," he said, stressing collaboration with tribes and scientific permitting.
By contrast, Dr. Richard Merrick urged caution, saying that habitat limitations and incomplete diet data mean reductions in pinniped numbers "will likely have some unintended consequences" and may not yield measurable, basin‑wide salmon recovery. He recommended further multi‑year, multi‑site diet and ecosystem studies and highlighted potential knock‑on effects such as shifts in other predator populations and impacts on transient orca that depend on seals as prey.
NOAA's Timothy Petty acknowledged existing authorizations are limited in scope and said the agency supports giving co‑managers more flexibility under rigorous scientific conditions, while also recommending continued consultation with states and tribes on practical implementation and staffing capacity.
