SR3 believes the shootings may be fueled by the “dangerous myth” that harbor seals are primarily responsible for declining salmon populations, according to the petition.

However, harbor seals eat a wide variety of prey, including sole, flounder, sculpin, cod, herring, octopus and squid.

Researchers have also found that eliminating seals and sea lions from Washington waters alone would not restore salmon populations because habitat loss and other human-driven factors remain the primary causes of salmon declines, SR3 said.

Harbor seals are common throughout Washington’s nearshore waters, including Bellingham Bay, Hood Canal and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.