Interesting news regarding sea lions....

[winxp_man]

Read this from a few weeks ago. Interesting for sure. Decided to post it when I saw the sea lion post in another steelhead thread . Didn’t want to thread high jack. So starting a new one.


https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/congress-approves-bill-allowing-killing-sea-lions-protect-salmon-n947126

[JasonB]

Overall I’m inclined to think it’s a good thing to have the “flexibility” to capture and euthanize sea lions deemed to be a problem. Kind of hesitant about the details though, as these kinds of bills often have some good things in them ... and a bunch of really bad stuff hidden in the fine print. I do agree with concerns that this will be pretty small potatoes in terms of the overall threats to dwindling fish populations. Of course at this point, every little bit of help the fish can get is needed. Thanks for sharing that, I’ll be very curious to see how this all plays out.
JB

[Mark Kranhold]

Hmmm, may they will lift the ban on California mountain lions next?

[bigfly]

Have Mnt Lions been an issue with Seals?
Spent my life walking around unarmed and alone in all the right places., and have managed to see only one.
And humans populations definitely need an alpha predator......

Unless we start raising hatchery Great white's....this will be the only "natural" method of reducing the Seal pop.
Perhaps we should make them novel cuisine, marketed as free range of course. As opposed to wack and waste.
And, I agree with Jason, fine print is scary.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If the sea-lion population has gone from 30,000 in the 1960s to 300,000 today we have a huge problem?

This is a huge problem for many marine organisms like fish, crabs and squid that sea-lions might feed on.



Maybe they could find a private commercial entity that would harvester them and use their meat, etc for fertilizer or fish food or

dog/cat food so tax payers don't have to foot the bill?


Many years ago I can imagine that native Americans (man), Killer Whales and Great White sharks use to prey of sea-lions to keep

them in check. Obviously this is no longer happening....

[Jeff F]

Drive out to the mouth of the Russian at Jenner and tell me they're not a problem. The only thing that saves the fish in the Russian is that it's usually muddy and the seals can't see them. But when it clears enough for them to see incoming fish, it's a freaking slaughter.

[Larry S]

Jeff;
Have seen the same "activity" in the lagoon at the mouth of Redwood Creek in Orick. In the Smith, we've seen
them as far up as Chub Rock. Hardly "marine" mammals at that point. Deterrent measures are needed!

[Jeff F]

Jeff;
Have seen the same "activity" in the lagoon at the mouth of Redwood Creek in Orick. In the Smith, we've seen
them as far up as Chub Rock. Hardly "marine" mammals at that point. Deterrent measures are needed!

Yep, I have too when I lived up there. Funny though, I never saw a sea lion in the Eel. Although, I never really ventured down to the mouth. I've fished as far downstream as Fernbridge but never saw any.

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill,

In 1960 we had 10 times more fish then we have now, however now we have 10 times more Seals. This balancing act isn't working. How about an open season on Seals during Steel-head and Salmon season. Sitting up in the rocks with a scoped rifle and shooting the hell out of them would be worth a few days in jail....lol

Carl

[Sheepdog8404]

I’d be down to buy a seal tag... and a Lion tag if that ban ever gets lifted.

[Larry S]

Prop 117 (1990) "California Wildlife Protection Act" was passed after being promoted
as a conservative act that would acquire habitat for deer, mountain lions, and other
endangered species. (hard to imagine deer as endangered) Next came "California Proposition 197, also known as the Wildlife: Mountain Lions Act, was on the March 26, 1996 primary election ballot in California as a legislatively referred state statute, where it was defeated. Re 117, the state was supposed to fund 117 in the acquisition of that "habitat" to the tune of $30 million per year.
Can anyone point to that "acquired habitat?" I sure can't find it. Like the lottery monies to school; into the state
coffers and never seen again! Should have mentioned that 197 would have removed the mountain lions from its protected
status.

[Ned Morris]

Well the last El Nino that hit couple years ago I though all of the Sea Lion pups were starving to death. I guess give it some time, the whole food chain is so completely out of wack in the Pacific. Domoic Acid ever increasing problem, Abolone closure due to Purple Sea Urchins eating everything (That's never coming back folks). The Pacific is warming in areas make no mistake. It's a matter of time before something happens that makes the Pinniped population collapse but by then the Pacific Salmon and most Steelhead will probably be gone. Depends what species will occupy the niche and when. Sad sad times.

[OceanSunfish]

For all those that have friends or family living along the Columbia or Willamette Rivers, you know this issue has been closely followed by many over the past two years....... Research and data, from what I understand, goes back 20 years....... The last straw was when sea lions were seen and found literally on redds. It's time folks and it is sad how out of balance the ecosystem has become......