In the last 10 years, the cormorant population has grown 1500% at Astoria Bridge, both accelerating erosion of the bridge and increasing salmon predation.
Avian predation – hungry birds feeding on endangered salmon – is identified in the Council’s fish and wildlife program as a serious concern, and the program supports managing the impact of predators on juvenile salmon and steelhead.
Earlier this spring, the Yakama Nation contracted professional falconers to work with their fisheries staff to successfully delay the nesting of the Miller Rocks gull colony by several weeks.
The Council this month approved a request from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Bonneville Power Administration to fund the construction of a floating platform big enough to handle Steller sea lions, which can weigh more than
