States Authorized to Kill Sea Lions to Protect Endangered Salmon Runs
| July 8, 2016
By Kale Williams, The Oregonian/Oregonianlive.com

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has authorized three northwestern states to continue killing sea lions that prey on endangered fish species as they try to climb the fish ladder at the Bonneville Dam, officials said Wednesday.

California sea lions often congregate at the mouth of the the Columbia River and in the waters just below the dam, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement, and the hungry marine mammals have put a big dent in the numbers of salmon and steelhead looking to make their yearly migration upstream.

"Last year sea lions were estimated to have consumed nearly 10,000 adult spring Chinook salmon, amounting to more than 3 percent of returning adult fish," the administration said in a statement. "The impact on individual populations within the run may be much higher. An estimated 25 to 35 percent of the fish consumed are listed under the Endangered Species Act."

Sea lions may be killing more salmon than estimated, NOAA study says

Data show the 2014 average spring Chinook salmon survival at Bonneville Dam was just 55 percent, down from 69 percent in 2013 and 82 percent in 2012.

Read the rest of the story at The Oregonian/Oregonianlive.com here.

Hmm. Since AK and BC often take more than 3 % of the run, is NOAA gonna open a season on them, too?

Kill 'em all

I like some Alaskans and Canadians. I'm sure we can harvest selectively.

Fish on...

Todd

This.

So, let's see... if we killed all the sealions, the runs would stand to suffer 3% lower predation, which is sort of significant. If we kill a small percentage of the sealions (a far more likely scenario), that impact will be much less; say 1%. Not exactly a "silver bullet."

To Carcassman's point, any savings will be allocated straight to ocean intercept fisheries, so the Columbia won't see a single additional recruit (unless the forecast is lower than the actual returns).

I suppose a few less sport fishers will lose fish to sealions, but I doubt the overall effect will be noticeable in that regard.

Oh, well. At least we've successfully deflected the blame for continuing salmon decline elsewhere for a few more years, and we can go about business as usual.

In all seriousness, I suppose this needs to happen. I just don't think we'll notice the difference, should a difference materialize.

Not that many years ago, nearly every commercial fisherman in Washington routinely carried, on board, a 30-06 and routinely shot at every (even then protected) marine mammal (seal, sea lion, orca) he encountered.

fp

Twin brother and partner Gary Duffy used to dock their commercial salmon boat in Sausalito too. 12ga. was part of their gear then too. Used to refer to it as "Takin' a sea lion's picture" Lots of muffled reports on those cold Nor Cal days I was told

Need help? Just say when & where.

I've done a fair amount of comm fishin in my days. Back to the mid 70s. Rampant shooting at pins, and whales is not what I saw. I dont doubt there were some guys that wacked a few, but if if it was like yoursaying there wouldnt be so many...either that or comm fishermen cant shoot.

NOAA has had the go ahead to kill sealions for a while now. There is so much paperwork, time and effort put into everyone the
y kill its never going to do any good. To bad they can't just load up some mags, and stand on the dam walls, and let um have at it.

I've always wondered why the tribes do not do something about all the seals, and sealions. They get away with any crap they pull.

What makes you think they don't?