“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.”
BS. I’ve seen hundreds of them lieing on the beach at the mouth of Redwood Creek resting between slauters of salmon coming in. No dams there.
On the Columbia River it’s a real problem at Bonneville Dam. The dam is over a hundred miles from the coast and sea lion numbers have increased at the dam every year for 10 or more years and they have a feast.
Some of the sea lions have even learned to get in the fish ladders in wait for the salmon.