Yes...because 'common sense' dictates that many more fish would be affected by hooking mortality (something we CAN control) than would be affected by seal or seal lion predation (something OUTSIDE our control).

Bob -

I told the whole story on the board awhile back but I've personally seen a sea-lion (not a seal) at the upper end of the canyon and, although I can't be positive, saw what I thought was a seal (too big to be an otter or a beaver) at Schmidt's bar...