Dec. 21, 2010:  NOAA Fisheries today released a progress report on sea lion predation at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. The report was written by a special task force commissioned by the agency to provide guidance on how best to deal with California sea lions that are foraging on federally protected salmon and steelhead below Bonneville Dam. The task force held four public meetings in Portland in October and November.

NOAA Fisheries granted permission three years ago to Washington, Oregon and Idaho to trap and "lethally remove" California sea lions at Bonneville Dam. The agency asked the task force to answer questions about the success so far of that effort and to suggest any changes in procedures.

Resolution of the problem of sea lion-salmon interaction became more complicated last month when a federal appeals court ruled that the agency violated administrative procedures in reaching its decision to allow the states to kill sea lions.