Are Seal populations at their limits?

Saw an article on MSNC regarding San Francisco Bay Area Seals turning up in an emaciated state in record numbers. Scientists have not drawn any concusions on the cause, but my guess is that it is likely that their population has outgrown the sustainable level of food unless its polluted water. If it is food, then the question is was it population over-growth or a substantial decline in food sources. Given that Stripers are also in trouble in the Delta and they eat the same fish, I tend to think it is the latter and that is not good news for Bay Area fishing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16231299/

I wouldn't link stripers and seals.  Stripers are loosing habitat, natural forage and their young to water diversion.  I don't believe they share the same food source once they're in the ocean either. 

My opinion, those filthy salmon poachers got too dependent on stealing fish from fishermen that they lost their natural hunting abilities.  We had a bad season and they didn't eat

I'd like to know how much money is spent on, "saving," a seal.

My opinion, those filthy salmon poachers got too dependent on stealing fish from fishermen that they lost their natural hunting abilities.  We had a bad season and they didn't eat 

 

I wouldn't link stripers and seals.  Stripers are loosing habitat, natural forage and their young to water diversion.  I don't believe they share the same food source once they're in the ocean either. 

Its a web of life my friend. Man always hesitates to link a lot of his destruction to its much wider influence because man likes to delude himself. You have absolutely no evidence that stealing fish off lines sustains the multitude of Seals in the Bay Area if you are serious in your proposition. More and more we are learning its all linked and more strongly than we assume. Examples: deforestation, river dams, irrigation diversions with Salmon and Striper pressure, reduction of wetlans to hurricane devastation, the introduced Squawfish with Salmon molt population drops. Who says Seals and Stripers in the Bay and coast don't eat the same fish and other marine life--I aj not talkgn about the Delta. Who says Seals don't eat Striper yearllings? I bet they do and there are fewer these days--way fewer.

This is serious stuff and the cola-mine Canaries are squawkign shrilly. Will we listen? Seems not.

I would have to say that fish stolen from anglers is very low on the entire menu of seals.  Yes they do it, yes it sucks, but it is not a major part of their diet in my opinion.

MolBasser

My opinion, those filthy salmon poachers got too dependent on stealing fish from fishermen that they lost their natural hunting abilities.  We had a bad season and they didn't eat

Is it mandatory to add a hundred  before people get it?   

You're right SM, it is man's influence causing the problem here.  In our haste to save everything cute and fluffy we enacted the Marine Mamal Protection Act thus allowing the seals/sea lion population to go unchecked causing problems in the food chain and an eventual population level-off (read...die) from disease and/or hunger. I'm gonna propose that we save the species by clubbing a few of them with blunt objects, babies first.

Re:Seals and Stripers

Yes they both feed on fish, that feed on fish, that feed on plankton thats taking a hit from global warming.......problem solved, now we just gotta stop that darn global warming thing and we can fish again.      







 


 

Saw an article on MSNC regarding San Francisco Bay Area Seals turning up in an emaciated state in record numbers. Scientists have not drawn any concusions on the cause, but my guess is that it is likely that their population has outgrown the sustainable level of food unless its polluted water. If it is food, then the question is was it population over-growth or a substantial decline in food sources. Given that Stripers are also in trouble in the Delta and they eat the same fish, I tend to think it is the latter and that is not good news for Bay Area fishing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16231299/

I can buy into it, but, but first:

Please show peer reviewed research showing decreased amounts of bait fish in the San Francisco Bay as well as the nearby Pacific Ocean, say between Pt Sur and Pt Arena.

Please show peer reviewed research showing causality between emaciated seals and said decline in bait fish.

Otherwise, it's just supposition.