Environmental Assessment: Reducing the Impact on At-Risk Salmon and Steelhead by California Sea Lions in the Willamette River

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This document considers the environmental consequences of alternative actions to reduce California sea lion (CSL) predation on salmonid fishes listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the Willamette River (Figure 1.1) as detailed in the state of Oregon’s (state) October 6, 2017, application. The analysis will inform NMFS’ decision-making regarding whether to approve or deny the state’s request to intentionally take, by lethal methods, individually identifiable CSL in the Willamette River, Oregon.