A Rainier man pleaded guilty today to trying to kill a sea lion in the Willamette River, a violation of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Federal prosecutors say a plea agreement requires 62-year-old James Housley to forfeit his fishing license for one year, forfeit the gun he used and pay a fine.

KGW photo

The government has agreed to seek a year's probation and a $5,000 fine but Housley could receive up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine. Sentencing is set for October 31st.

Housley shot the animal in April as it swam off Sauvie Island.

Prosecutors say Housley was fishing and became frustrated that a sea lion had taken a salmon off a companion's line and shot the animal twice in the head. It's not known whether it survived.

Proposals are in the works to make it easier to legally kill sea lions identified as problem predators.