NOAA Fisheries Service recommended killing 30 sea lions per year at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. At this location on the Washington – Oregon border the animals feast on migrating salmon. It is estimated that the sea lions eat four percent of the total spring runs. Sea lions are attracted to this area by the large number of fish that gather to pass through the dam’s “fish ladder” openings.
Sea Lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. However, an amendment allows states to obtain permission to kill those that can be identified as having a significant negative impact on salmon.
NOAA will hear testimony from the public through February 19 with a final decision to be made in March. The Fisheries Service will set guidelines for killing or capturing the sea lions if the recommendation is implemented.
In the bookstore: Salmon and river ecology (books)
On the web: NOAA Fisheries Service
Tags: bonneville dam, NOAA, salmon, sea lion
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I can see that protecting the salmon is really important, but surely a better idea would be to look at the human effects in the region. Cutting down on pollution and overfishing in the area would seem a better, more sustainable solution.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Richard,
I agree with you. I think the overall impact of several fat and happy sea lions is not the problem. Another possibility is the adoption by other organizations such as Sea World did several years ago after a similar situation in Seattle.
Thanks for you comment.
-Tommy