SEATTLE — A harbor seal pup rescued near Bellingham has been euthanized after veterinarians discovered bullet fragments in its head.

The development comes as federal lawmakers consider loosening protections for seals and sea lions in an effort to help struggling salmon runs in Washington.

The seal was taken to SR3, a marine wildlife rehabilitation facility, where X-rays revealed the injury.

“We took X-rays to see what was going on there and discovered that this animal had been shot,” said Casey McLean, SR3’s executive director and veterinary nurse.

Veterinarians euthanized the seal pup after CT scans showed bullet fragments in its brain tissue. SR3 said it is the third harbor seal shot in the head in the past nine months.

McLean emphasized that shooting seals is illegal under federal law.

“I think it’s important people understand this is illegal. They are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” she said.

SR3 believes the shootings are likely tied to misinformation that seals are eating all the salmon in the area.

RELATED | Harbor seal pup shot in the head, third seal rescued with gunshot wounds in 9 months

“We do understand the frustrations about salmon recovery. I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there, though, whether that be about the seal and sea lion populations exploding, which they’re not. They have recovered under the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” McLean said.

The euthanasia comes as the House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing on House Resolution 9621, which would allow Washington and eligible tribal nations to kill a limited number of harbor seals and sea lions considered a threat to endangered salmon.

The legislation would expand Columbia River pinniped management, authorize a new five-year permit system for the lethal removal of harbor seals and sea lions in Washington marine waters, and invest in nonlethal pinniped deterrence technology.

The bipartisan resolution is led by Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., and co-sponsored by Rep. Emily Randall, D-Wash.

“This bill is a compromise to bring in a larger portion of our state and tribal partners into this process, as well as provide common-sense updates to the rules,” Baumgartner said. “It also provides the option to explore other ways to responsibly manage these populations. I am grateful to Representative Randall for joining me in this effort to help protect salmon.”

“Seals and sea lions eating our salmon is a major problem,” Randall said.

She added that salmon runs are being harmed by multiple factors.

“Salmon are a way of life for our communities. Current runs, including Snake River sockeye salmon and Upper Columbia spring-run salmon, are struggling to survive due to multiple factors like toxins, rising ocean temperatures, habitat loss, and barriers like culverts. Saving our salmon and the southern resident orca that rely on them is not an easy fix,” she said.