Originally Posted By: bushbear
They’re going to initiate more studies on the issue of pinniped predation. Limited culling at choke points or when smolts are out-migrating would remove identifiable pinniped. Unfortunately, when the MMPA was passed, there were no provisions for what could be done when the populations were recovered. We didn’t have endangered Chinook in the 1970s nor starving orcas.


Nor ESA listed rockfish in Puget Sound also targeted by pinnipeds.

The problem is that we really don't need more studies. What we need is for NOAA/NMFS and our Congressional delegation to press for changes to the MMPA which would provide wide-ranging latitude for managers and preclude the need to go to Congress over localized issues - especially when recovery of ESA listed species is at play.
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