Congress approves bill allowing the killing of sea lions... to protect salmon

Dec. 12, 2018 / 12:16 PM PST / Source: Associated Press
By Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — Congress has agreed to make it easier to kill sea lions threatening fragile runs of salmon in the Northwest.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that a bill approved by the House Tuesday changes the Marine Mammal Protection Act to lift some of the restrictions on killing sea lions to protect salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The measure had previously passed the Senate.

Wildlife managers say sea lion populations have grown so large that they no longer need all the protections that were put in place for them in 1972.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/congress-approves-bill-allowing-killing-sea-lions-protect-salmon-n947126

Seal burgers coming to a jack in the box near you soon Betcha Ikeda's here in Auburn will have them... Can't wait! A whole new dimension of hunting for us

Less to it than meets the eye. It certainly won't have any effect on this trend:

"...California sea lions that dramatically increased from about 30,000 in the 1960s to about 300,000..."

Ya but, We got Whitey on our side Now we just have to teach them to read the words "NOT A SEAL"  Then the water is all ours!!!!

Lock n Load, it's bang time

Are Harbor Seals included?

Lock n Load, it's bang time

HAHAHA This

This is interesting stuff
Thanks for listing this

Some of the comments on here!!!hahahah
 😂

Are Harbor Seals included?

Harbor seals are not nearly as much of a threat to salmon and steelhead as sea lions and elephant seals are. And there are far less of them as well.

They aren’t as voracious a predator as sea lions and elephants seals.

Sea gulls, cormorants, and other fish eating birds do way more damage to the salmon and steelhead populations because they feed on the smolt that are trying to get to the ocean and there about 10 times the number of those birds than seals, sea lions, and elephant seals put together.  They need to open us season on those damn birds.  Right before waterfowl season so we can get some shooting practice before ducks and geese show up.   

I agree,comorants need the population dwindled down abit.those birds are in the ocean lakes and rivers.i had them try to take my stringer at lake themescal one year

I think the "let's kill some shit" excitement in this thread is the reason it's taken some time for the gov't to agree to some predator control on the Columbia. 

Here's what I got from Googling "Cormorants eat":

They eat mainly fish. Adults eat an average of one pound of fish per day, which is typically comprised of small (less than 6 inch) size classes. They are opportunistic and generalist feeders, preying on many species of fish, but concentrating on those that are easiest to catch.

Maybe we need to look harder at how to be a part of Nature instead of just considering how to take Nature apart for our own needs.

I think the "let's kill some shit" excitement in this thread is the reason it's taken some time for the gov't to agree to some predator control on the Columbia. 

Here's what I got from Googling "Cormorants eat":

They eat mainly fish. Adults eat an average of one pound of fish per day, which is typically comprised of small (less than 6 inch) size classes. They are opportunistic and generalist feeders, preying on many species of fish, but concentrating on those that are easiest to catch.[/b

Yah exactly. They eat small easy to catch fish such as salmon smolt and steelhead smolt that are small and easy to catch. Smolt are the small baby fingerling salmon and steelhead. They have hatched and are trying to make their way to the ocean to grow. And the reason they are so much easier to catch is because we have dams setup everywhere and make rivers like the Columbia much wider and slower moving and with much slower currents, those baby salmon and steelhead become much easier prey and they have to work much harder to get to the ocean. as opposed the the natural way they should be getting there. By facing up river and letting the swift current of a NATURAL river carry them down.
And with very few natural predators left to keep those bird populations in check and with them being protected, the bird numbers are out of control. It’s OUR fault the ecosystem is the way it is now. So WE are the ones who need to keep the predatory circle in check.

This is a really good documentary. The part about the birds starts at about 33min in.

Right before waterfowl season so we can get some shooting practice before ducks and geese show up.   

My point is more about how a scientific need can turn into a lynch mob mentality with willing killers lined up before the sound prescription is administered.

I commented because it didn't feel like I was reading an NCKA post, but I'll get over it.

I think the "let's kill some shit" excitement in this thread is the reason it's taken some time for the gov't to agree to some predator control on the Columbia. 

Here's what I got from Googling "Cormorants eat":

They eat mainly fish. Adults eat an average of one pound of fish per day, which is typically comprised of small (less than 6 inch) size classes. They are opportunistic and generalist feeders, preying on many species of fish, but concentrating on those that are easiest to catch.

Maybe we need to look harder at how to be a part of Nature instead of just considering how to take Nature apart for our own needs.

This