,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #caai ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ba1 #bjah ,mr4 ,risch 7for himself and ,ms4 ,cantwell7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to allow for the taking of sea lions on the ,columbia ,river and its tributaries to protect endangered and threatened species of salmon and other nonlisted fish species4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,endangered ,salmon ,predation ,prevention ,act4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of the ,congress that-- 7#a7 preventing predation by sea lions1 recovery of listed salmonid stocks1 and preventing future listings of fish stocks in the ,columbia ,river under the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq47 is a vital priority2 and 7#b7 the ,federal ,government should continue to fund lethal and nonlethal removal1 and deterrence1 measures for preventing such predation4 #c4 ,taking of sea lions on the ,columbia ,river and its tributaries to protect endangered and threatened species of salmon and other nonlisted fish species ,section #abj7;f7 of the ,marine ,mammal ,protection ,act of #aigb 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #achi7;f77 is amended to read as follows3 7f7 ,temporary marine mammal removal authority on the waters of the ,columbia ,river or its tributaries 7#a7 ,removal authority ,notwithstanding any other provision of this ,act1 the ,secretary may issue a permit to an eligible entity to authorize the intentional lethal taking on the waters of the ,columbia ,river and its tributaries of individually identifiable sea lions that are part of a population or stock that is not categorized under this ,act as depleted or strategic for the purpose of protecting-- 7,a7 species of salmon1 steelhead1 or eulachon that are listed as endangered species or threatened species under the ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq472 and 7,b7 species of lamprey or sturgeon that are not so listed as endangered or threatened but are listed as a species of concern4 7#b7 ,permit process 7,a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity may apply to the ,secretary for a permit under this subsection4 7,b7 ,timelines and procedures of application ,the timelines and procedures described in subsection 7c7 shall apply to applications for permits under this subsection in the same manner such timelines apply to applications under subsection 7b74 7,c7 ,coordination ,the ,secretary shall establish procedures to coordinate issuance of permits under this subsection1 including application procedures and timelines1 issuance to eligible entities1 geographic and species-specific considerations1 monitoring1 and periodic review4 7,d7 ,duration of permit ,a permit under this subsection shall be effective for not more than #e years1 and may be renewed by the ,secretary4 7,e7 ,coordination with other tribes ,to the extent practicable1 and prior to issuing a permit under this section1 the ,secretary shall consult with all ,indian tribes with legal or historic interests in the protection of salmonid species in the area of the ,columbia ,river and its tributaries described in paragraph 7#h74 7#c7 ,limitations on annual takings ,the ,secretary shall apply the process for determining limitations on annual take of sea lions under subsection 7c7 to determinations on limitations under this subsection1 and the cumulative number of sea lions authorized to be taken each year under all permits in effect under this subsection shall not exceed #aj percent of the annual potential biological removal level for sea lions4 7#d7 ,qualified individuals ,intentional lethal takings under this subsection shall be humane within the meaning of such term under section #c7d71 and shall be implemented by agencies or qualified individuals described in subsection 7c77#d71 or by individuals employed by the eligible entities described in subsection 7#f74 7#e7 ,suspension of permitting authority ,if1 #e years after the date of the enactment of the ,endangered ,salmon ,predation ,prevention ,act1 the ,secretary1 after consulting with ,state and tribal fishery managers1 determines that lethal removal authority is no longer necessary to protect salmonid and other fish species from sea lion predation1 the ,secretary shall suspend the issuance of permits under this subsection4 7#f7 ,eligible entity defined 7,a7 ,in general 7i7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term eligible entity means-- 7,i7 with respect to removal in the mainstem of the ,columbia ,river and its tributaries1 the ,state of ,washington1 the ,state of ,oregon1 and the ,state of ,idaho2 and 7,,ii7 with respect to removal in the mainstem ,columbia ,river and its tributaries1 the ,nez ,perce ,tribe1 the ,confederated ,tribes of the ,umatilla ,indian ,reservation1 the ,confederated ,tribes of the ,warm ,springs ,reservation of ,oregon1 the ,confederated ,tribes and ,bands of the ,yakama ,nation1 and the ,columbia ,river ,intertribal ,fish ,commission4 7ii7 ,delegation authority ,the ,secretary may allow an eligible entity described in clause 7i77,i7 to delegate its authority under a permit under this subsection to any entity described in clause 7i77,,ii74 7,b7 ,additional eligibility 7i7 ,in general ,subject to the approval of the ,secretary1 the ,indian tribes described in subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7 of clause 7ii7 may remove sea lions pursuant to a memorandum of understanding described in clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,memoranda of understanding ,a memorandum of understanding described in this clause is-- 7,i7 between the ,state of ,washington and the ,cowlitz ,indian ,tribe for deterrence and removal of sea lions on the ,cowlitz ,river2 or 7,,ii7 between the ,state of ,oregon and the ,confederated ,tribes of the ,grand ,ronde ,community of ,oregon or the ,confederated ,tribes of ,siletz ,indians of ,oregon for deterrence and removal of sea lions on the ,willamette ,river4 7iii7 ,considerations ,in determining whether to approve a memorandum of understanding under clause 7i71 the ,secretary shall consider each affected ,indian tribe's wildlife management capacity to meet the requirements of this ,act4 7#g7 ,individual exception ,for purposes of this section1 any sea lion located upstream of river mile #aab1 or in any tributary to the ,columbia ,river that includes spawning habitat of threatened or endangered salmon or steelhead is deemed to be individually identifiable4 7#h7 ,significant negative impact exception ,for purposes of this section1 any sea lion located in the mainstem of the ,columbia ,river upstream of river mile #aab1 or in any tributary to the ,columbia ,river that includes spawning habitat of threatened or endangered salmon or steelhead is deemed to be having a significant negative impact1 within the meaning of subsection 7b77#a74 7#i7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term ,indian tribe has the meaning given such term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 4 #d4 ,treaty rights of federally recognized indian tribes ,nothing in this ,act or the amendments made by this ,act shall be construed to affect or modify any treaty or other right of an ,indian tribe 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd774