Patty Murray: “I rise today in support of S. 1636, a bill to reauthorize the Marine Mammal Protection Act. I do so with some…”

“I rise today in support of S. 1636, a bill to reauthorize the Marine Mammal Protection Act. I do so with some reservation, however. Mr. President, the Pacific Northwest has been struggling for many years over the appropriate management of our natural resources, including water, timber, and salmon. It is this latter category I am concerned about today. Of all the things we value in the Northwest, salmon are perhaps the greatest symbol of our cultural heritage. Over the past decade, as bureaucrats have bickered and politicians have debated, the condition of this tremendous resource has deteriorated badly. On rivers throughout the region--rivers with dams, rivers without dams--once mighty salmon runs are withering away. At the same time, another valuable resource, marine mammals native to the region, have come back in great strength. In fact, you cannot take a boat ride anywhere in Puget Sound without encountering a seal or sea lion these days. The combination of these two factors has created a very difficult and unfortunate circumstance: because they are voracious eaters, marine mammals now pose a direct threat, in many cases, to the continued viability of certain salmon populations. Madam President, this bill provides limited authority to lethally remove marine mammals that can be identified as posing a threat to certain fish populations. This is a narrowly focused, short-term management tool designed to protect the continued viability of such populations.”