Aunty M. I agree only because we as fishermen/women have not educated the public enough for them to see our point. They see the cute furry seals and think "How could they?" not knowing just how much damage they're causing and what the long term consequences are. The news people from all media jump at the chance to cover whales, seals, sea lions etc. I've seen a lot of coverage regarding them but little coverage on the plight of migratory fish. I saw a documentary regarding the last sockeye salmon reaching a lake in Idaho. (Which now through the hard work of many is starting a comeback.) It was on PBS and I can assure you that PBS just doesn’t have the reach that network news, documentary’s etc. have. The program was sad a best and it would have been a great help in reaching people regarding the problems fish face and maybe garner some sympathy. There has to be more of those kinds of stories on mainstream media. Having Comcast I watch a lot of documentaries and it’s rare to see one regarding the problem. But there is a sh!t load of programs on Orcas, seals, sea lions, sharks, sea otters and so on. For now what alternatives do we have to battle problems like sea lions and other predators that are decimating the fish populations? I wish I had the answers.

Here's a workable solution........make rubber bullets legal for anyone to use any time.
Without killing the critter, it once again becomes afraid of human encounters and stays the hell away.

One problem is that the public is smart enough to know that this is not a conservation issue but an allocation issue. Humans want to kill salmon. Seals need to kill salmon.

If seal/sealion predation was keeping salmon populations down, and the only other causes were such things as dams, then the argument for control would probably fly. As long as the argument is "I won't share", I don't think it will fly.

Oh, I have no doubts it wouldn't fly. I was only saying that it would be a good thing.....from a human safety stand point if nothing else.

Public safety, as in where the take over docks and boats, will probably be the one place where some control will be allowed.

Most often, when I'm releasing fish, I never put the fish in the net. I lean over and back out the barbless hook....that should NOT be dangerous, but has become so because of the lack of fear sea lions and seals are quickly building.

You mean those Alki unemployed soccer moms posing as "Seal sitters" aren't doing us all a favor?