Posted on 08/30/2019 3:58:40 PM PDT by jazusamo
BOISE, Idaho — More than 1,100 sea lions could be killed annually along a stretch of the Columbia River on the Oregon-Washington border to boost faltering populations of salmon and steelhead, federal officials said Friday.
The National Marine Fisheries Service said it’s taking public comments through Oct. 29 on the plan requested by Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Native American tribes.
The agency says billions of dollars on habitat restoration, fish passage at dams and other efforts have been spent in the three states in the last several decades to save 13 species of Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead protected under the Endangered Species Act.
But sea lions have learned that fish bunch up at dams and are easy to catch, an opportunity not available when the Columbia was free-flowing.
“The changes in the system have created this sort of pinch-point where sea lions can take advantage of the fish,” said Michael Milstein, a spokesman for National Marine Fisheries Service.
(Excerpt) Read more at columbian.com ...
What does sea lion steak taste like?
a little fishy, kinda like salmon.....
Ask a Great White.
The same thought ran through my head. Do you butcher them for dog food? Is there a market somewhere for these things?
Who gets to eat the sea lions? Can they be relocated?
Anything that eats fish, except for other fish, is awful.
Salmon
Start shooting. I think you’ll see a lot of them vanish from the area. And shoot the California Sea Loons first. All of them are males, and the population won’t notice a difference.
They’ve tried relocation. They come back. I remember a recent stink when some were trapped and died in the trap.
“They keep wondering why the Puget Sound orca whale pods are slowly starving to death.”
Not enough sea lion in their diets. (Seals and Sea Lions are natural prey.)
Since the sea lions seem to tolerate fresh water, neuter them and bring them to the midwest to control the invasive silver Asian Carp!
Lions gotta eat....
Having them eat carp is a good idea, but from what I’ve heard, Orca’s tend to specialize their diets. Some eat fish and Salmon, some go after seals and some like Great White livers-seriously.
“What does sea lion steak taste like?”
Kind of a gamey, meatier cross between bald eagle and spotted owl
I have thought that a fishery dedicated to catching carp and turning them into fertilizer might be a good idea. How to deal with the smell might be a bit of a problem!
I asked her if she considered the gauntlet of sea lions in the bay as a reason.
She gave me that "WTF are you talking about" stare before changig the subject.
Sea lions and seals don’t seem to be the choice of food for the Puget Sound orcas.
They’re spoiled on salmon I suppose and rather starve than eat a seal.
I know I’ve seen whales while the salmon are running with enough seals lounging on my float nearby to feed the whole pod.
I couldn’t find sea lion but did find a chefs comment on seal. “Long cooked beef with a hint of liver. Hints of chewiness and a slight marine flavor”
Another commentator said if you like game meat you will like seal.
I think it should be a commercial operation. Cull, can and tan.
More than 1,100 sea lions could be killed annually
You’re 100% right. Decades ago commercial and sport fishing boats in So CA had a rifle on board and they were used.
I’ve been away from it for a long time but I’d venture to say that hasn’t been the case for many years.
The last time I remember hearing about a commercial fisherman shooting a sea mammal was in Alaska some decades ago - I don’t recall the salmon fishery, but False Pass Drift comes to mind - he lost his boat, catch, 10 years in prison, and $200,000 fine.
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