Yes. The state and BPA are paying millions of dollars every year to try and restore/supplement the salmon runs back into the Columbia River basin. These millions of dollars are being wasted if they allow sea lions (mainly from California) to wipe out these runs.

Instead of wildife agents shooting the sea lions, WDFW should raffle off permits. Allow anyone nationwide to purchase a raffle ticket at $100 a piece and give out 30-50 permits. The winning raffle tickets will allow the person to safely shoot a sea lion (accompanied by a wildlife agent). This will help get rid of the sea lions, allow people to hunt/shoot the otherwise unhuntable animal, and put money in the states pocket during hard economic times.

I believe with sea lions being protected, we now have more sea lions in our local waters than we need to keep a health population. Instead of spending many tax dollars for cages, etc., I would suggest killing them with high powered weapons.

I believe with sea lions being protected, we now have more sea lions in our local waters than we need to keep a health population. Instead of spending many tax dollars for cages, etc., I would suggest killing them with high powered weapons.

kill them

Seriously?
WE kill more fish than ALL the Sea Lions in the World. How many fish does 1 Sea Lion eat per Year? How many Fish does a Commercial Fisherman catch per year? How much fish do we throw away because it didn't sell or sat in the refrigerator too long?
Grow up people, they were here LONG before we were. And they wouldn't even be congregating AT the DANG DAM if it was never built in the first place. Hey, I know, lets try and put them on a Veggie Diet, eh? Not.
Maybe we should try and stop Cows from eating all the grass next, huh? And those pesky Salmon, eating their own fry, shame on them..........

And maybe shoot people with high powered weapons who forget they already posted the same thing almost 2 1/2 hours earlier, lol.
I think some sea lions are smarter than some people, bet some humans couldn't catch a fish if they went fishing every day of the year.....
They know who they are.

This country (and others) is kill happy. Seals are slaughtered, horses are slaughtered, wolves are slaughtered and now sea lions. When is it going to stop? Leave them alone and allow nature to take care of it's own. Animals know fear and pain the same as humans do. Thus, let's slaughter the fisherman and the hunters. What an idea, eh?

KILL THEM ALL!!!!! I'll say it again KILL THEM ALL!!!!!

Stop commercial fishing if you TRUELY want to 'save' the salmon.

What a croc to blame nature for man's greed and excess.

Improve the fish ladders.. Improve the spawning rivers.. it isn't rocket science and it ISN'T the sealions causing the decline.

can we trap and kill ANYTHING that eats endangered salmon, including humans? equal rights for everyone! GO USA

:)

Oh yeah, must be the sea lions responsible for the decline in salmon. Couldn't possibly be overfishing, pollution or loss of habitat.

To listen to some people, you'd think there were no salmon around before Europeans came here and started "managing" things. Then again, they seem to think forests didn't exist without management either.

Can't we eat the sea lions?
If we plan to cull so many animals it only makes sense that we eat them.
Unless the mercury levels are to high in them too.
I'm sure there are people who will take the meat...I will take some!

Anyone who thinks the sealions don't contribute to the dearth of salmon have not seen them gorge and vomit, gorge and vomit....all day long. They do not eat for nourishment, just gluttony. Good riddance.

The sea lions do not eat for nourishment. They eat and vomit all day long, day after day. We don't need the ones that contribute to the salmon decline.

It is barbaric to kill sea lions because they are competing with humans for food. Humans have many other food options available, sea lions do not. Humans must share the earth with God's creatures. What are we teaching our children? Killing these sea lions is teaching our children that violence and murder toward the weakest among us is acceptable. My children are horrified that humans are bullying little sea lions and my youngest child said he is "embarrassed to be a human" and that "we should pray for God to rescue the sea lions and stop the bullies".

Have a heart- extend compassion beyond yourself and the almighty dollar!

www.govegan.com- for the animals, the earth and your health!

While sea lions and their predation on salmon are natural, predation on a large scale in a freshwater environment is not. Dams create an unnatural environment that allows sea lions to take a larger number of salmon than they would naturally. Since, it has been extremely difficult to garner the support and dollars to remove the nets, the dams, clean up pollution, and create suitable spawning habitat. The sea lion issue is being seen as an achievable step in the right direction toward salmon recovery. Trapping and removing sea lions is a waste of money, as the sea lions often beat their captors back to the dams. Until a non-lethal deterrent is shown to be effective in keeping the sea lions away from the dams, I am in favor of lethal removal.

"LET THE SEA LIONS LIVE" Wild life agents are cheap. Leathal injection and shooting the sealions is the most stupidest thing i have ever heard. why not just trap them and relocate the sealions. do they really want to take the easy way out of a situation. Leave it to the fat stupid american to be a wild life agent. Sea lions have a right to live and eat all the salmon they want. it is inhumane to kill off the sealion population with leathal injection and shooting. The wild life agents should take control of the sealions in a more eco friendly matter. Americans should help our plant not destroy it. OR it might to late.

The sea lion population has spiraled out of control. Im glad the state fisheries are finally dealing with the problem. The california sea lions devour the salmon and the stellar sea lions eat the sturgeon. They are an imbalance in our ecosystem and are getting bolder towards humans. A sea lion cull is long overdue.

How many fish does one sea lion kill is the question most are asking and crying about and the answer is, Alot. I have stood by my Grandfather and my father since 1982 about killing Sea lion. If they were doing it in 1982 then wouldnt there be some validation to what is going on these days? I agree with killing, but lets make it an even 100 per year. Do we eat Sea lion? No. Salmon, yes. Granted the commercial fishermen are doing serious damage and should be limited more and more each year, but these Sea lions do not help and the more you kill the better. Just my opinion since i to was part of killing them in 1982.

What is good for the goose, is good for the gander..... If they truly believe this is going to stop the salmon from being endangered, then why not add to this.... Give the people that was born in America, the right to start shooting illegal aliens, or mothers' having too many children, and expecting taxpayers to flip the bill? We are starting to have a population problem, and lack of jobs... why not start giving old people lethal injections. Why not just stopping the greedy fishermen from catching the salmon. There are plenty of other food sources, so do the best we can to help the salmon.

What is good for the goose, is good for the gander..... If they truly believe this is going to stop the salmon from being endangered, then why not add to this.... Give the people that was born in America, the right to start shooting illegal aliens, or mothers' having too many children, and expecting taxpayers to flip the bill?

Sea lions sink docks, small boats and do extensive damage to personal and taxpayers property. This time of year the bulls are aggresive and move much faster than you think they can. Come to Astoria and see for yourself. These are not "cute" little seals. I say ship them to the Artic to feed the endangered polar bears.

How about use some technologies to lead the sea lions to feed somewhere else, instead of taking their lives?

Yes,it takes some work...
Human consume even more salmon , we don't kill human for that. The ignorance and short-sightedness in managing the world has already caused us too much.

I've said it once, but I want to reiterate the fact that relocation does not work. These sea lions have been relocated to California only to beat the people who took them to California back. This is a tremendous waste of money. I find it interesting that animal rights activists want to save the furry sea lions, but not the salmon and steelhead that are actually native to the Columbia. Their populations indicate that they are much more likely to become extinct, than the sea lions. How many of you that claim killing sea lions is barbaric are vegans? If you are not you barbarically kill cows, chickens, fish, and many other animals every time you eat. If you want to save the sea lions, start trying to save the salmon. If they dissappear it won't matter how many sea lions we kill or don't kill because with nothing to eat they will all starve.

Practical Solutions for dealing both with sea lions and for helping Salmon and Steelhead restoration: (1)Neuter and Spay all sea lions in inland waters and then relocate them to other areas. Sea lions not managed in this fashion should be relocated near Orka pods. 2)Ban all foreign commercial fishing vessels that come within 200 miles of U.S. shoreline and enforce this restriction with heavy fines or force. (3)Ban all gill nets especially on rivers where andromenous fish return for spawning. Allow tribal fishing to utilize ancient practices using bark baskets. (4)Increase the number of fish spawned in hatcheries and stop all killing of excess numbers that are not utilized once trapped for spawning use. Excess fish caught in the traps that are not used should be released back into the rivers and not butchered to be tossed back into the rivers. This is an abominable practice and a great waste of our natural resources.

George Williams

It's as simple as this, salmon are the natural prey of Sea Lions and many other animals. If we start killing Sea lions, what's next? We gonna kill all the animals that eat Salmon? How about this, quit the overfishing of salmon and shell out the extra money for salmon. We need animals more then we need people and to be honest, I'd much rather have animals then 3/4 of the people who are a waste of space.

The sea lions need to go!

Lets get rid of all the damn indian nets on the Columbia, some indians now just keep the salmon eggs & are throwing away the fish.

I agree with Dewey. KILL THEM ALL!

Sealions are only one part of the salmon recovery equation. It is something that can be taken care of right now as opposed to all the other salmon recovery options. They have become a nuisance now and it is a direct result of them being protected for so long. They is obviously an overabundance of them. The sealions are very intelligent and appear to have left there previous hunting grounds only to stack at man made structures and gorge themselves until they vomit. Relocation doesnt work and is very expensive. Salmon are on the ESA too. Let's remove these pests and hope that the salmon will come off the ESA some day.

Despite their "alleged" damage to those dam-impeded salmon, we need them to measure health of local waters - especially to those oncologists willing to ask if you've been eating fish out of the Columbia River, just a warning for you Hanford down streamers - some have been asking tribal clients...

I actually find this amusing. Sea lions are supposed to be a protected species. But, because they enjoy a salmon dinner, they should be killed? Yet, if Mr. Average citizen should kill one of these protected animals, even by accident, they'd be thrown in jail. Either Sea lions are protect or they aren't. If they are, then leave them alone and let them enjoy their salmon. They can have mine. I never eat salmon. Besides, I haven't heard anything about salmon being a protected species.

Harold,
There were 13 salmon and steelhead stocks listed as endangered under the endangered species act in Washington as of 2005. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more now. The decline of salmon populations in the PNW is the real problem here. Sea lions are capitalizing on an unnatural environment. This is not the behavior of sea lions historically. Not all orcas feed on sea lions, nearly all of our resident pods feed on salmon exclusively, they are also feeling the pain of decreased salmon stocks. I think more attention should be paid to saving salmon than sea lions. If salmon populations rebound, lethally removing sea lions from the dams will cease to be a priority.

I can’t believe that someone would compare a sea lion to a human. Oh its ok to say shoot a person but God forbid we kill a few sea lions that camp out in an area where salmon concentrate to migrate up stream. Yes it is because of us humans that they are there but those of you complaining couldn’t go a few days without the power those damns provide. Oh and lets not forget where that meat under the plastic wrap came from. Hunters and anglers contribute millions of dollars to conservation every year in both Oregon and Washington alone how much has these critics donated? Not a single penny I would bet. Why not protect my investment? You obviously aren’t out any money either way. Better yet if it is that bad for you and you can go without meat or power than join the other cows out in the field and chew on some grass.

I say kill all the seal lions that enter the river. The rest will figure it out and stay in the ocean. This and the removal of the obsolete gillnet fishery and our stocks will rebound.

Kill em. They're smart enough to figure out that when a couple of their buddies go floating by dead, there might be danger and it might be a good idea to leave and not come back. For those who think it's not a big probelm, lets remember that the whole purpose for hazing and killing them is that we are attempting to protect ESA (thats Endangered Species Act)listed wild Chinook stocks. The dam creates an unnatural barrier and an unfair advantage to these opportunistic pinepeds. When they are showing up by the hundred and more every year it's time to do something. Relocation doesn't work because there are documented cases of them traveling hundreds of miles back to where they were originally captured in a very short amount of time. They are also smart enought to bring their freinds with them too. If we are serious about recovering PNW salmon stocks, a few sealions need to bite the bullet.

Unbeleivable...

These fish killing machines need to go...now!

So many people on this comment board have NO IDEA what carnage is taking place at the Dam. It's not only salmon..but sturgeon by the thousands are being wiped out by these seals and sealions.

Does ANYONE remember Ballard Locks?? One sealion completely wiped out an entire steelhead run until it was finally removed. Those man made barriers (dams) are ideal hunting grounds...and NEED to be controlled for invasive species...like pinnepeds. Yes, maybe it's a problem WE created. But it's a problem that will finally get some repairs made...without removing the dams.

The issue here is the protection of one species (wild chinook salmon) vs. the protection of another (sea lions). As to the question of how many salmon can on sea lion eat? The answer is well known - In 2008, observers reported that 103 sea lions ate more than 4,243 salmon and steelhead in the same limited area below the dam. That's just what was observed - not what was eaten. An estimate, based on California sea lions’ metabolic needs, suggests that 100 animals feeding in that area consume at least 13,000 salmon each spring and that just in the area immediately below the dam. It's important to note that hatchery fish are marked by removal of the adipose fin and hence sport fisherman can distinguish wild from hatchery fish. Current law (and good practice) requires the release of wild fish which (when sport caught) can be released with low mortality rates. The sea lions (of course) do not distinguish wild from hatchery. Given that the sea lion population has recovered to very high levels on the coast and the chinook population is threatened, it makes sense to remove sea lions to protect the wild runs.

What controversry? The Gov't created this with the stupid protection act by Pres Carter. Common sense says they need to be eliminated from their non-natural habitat from killing another protected species-the salmon. Duh!

Sea lions are a natural part of the Columbia river habitat, and have co-evolved with salmon. They are not a problem for the salmon, as witnessed by the fact that many more seals and sea lions once shared the river with tens of millions of salmon. Both species began to decline at the same time, due to bad management and over-fishing and over-hunting by humans. The sea lions began to return, because the MMPA of 1972 prevented any more killing of sea lions by people. However, there was no corresponding law to prevent humans from killing salmon, so they have never recovered. Killing sea lions is not going to bring the salmon back, and those who claim it will are simply ignorant of facts and history.

No, sea lions should not be shot. Common sense and past experience should have taught us better, but some of us just refuse to learn.

Lance, your mistake is trying to bring common sense into this.

People don't want common sense solutions that take thought and hard work. They want quick, simple, visceral solutions no matter how ridiculous they are. I think my favorite is the idea that sea lions are capable of enough abstract thought and deductive reasoning to override their own instinct-driven behavior and will realize that other sea lions are being killed for eating salmon. Really I think it boils down to some folks just wanting to kill things or have things killed for them.

Lance,
Where in history did hundreds of sea lions congregate at a natural barrier and feed on thousands of trapped salmon? I don't think that such a place ever existed. Your numbers are misleading. Sure many sea lions and seals congregated at the river mouth and for a mile maybe more upstream, but nothing like what we see today.

Skullhunter,
I don't think anybody is getting any satisfaction from the act of killing. Except, perhaps, all of us carnivores everytime we eat meat.

There are many factors contributing to the decline of our salmon stocks. Sea lions are a very small part of it, but in times where budgets are being cut Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife personel are being laid off to the tune of 157 jobs, and it is more and more difficult help these fish species; sea lions in the river need to go. We need to remedy the salmon death trap that we created. I suggest all you pro sea lion folks come up with an effective non-lethal deterrent, or start trying to save salmon. All the whining and feet dragging in the world doesn't change the current situation.

They do far more than their share of harm to our salmon stocks. Give them to the tribes for ceremonial purposes. 80 may not be enough!

Killing of SeaLions for profit is wrong. This is obviously profit driven because one species, Salmon, are profitable and the other, Sea Lions, are not. Every year the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife raises quotas on fishing of salmon. They make money licensing for fishing. How can they decide to kill mammals and no one else can say no. This is a conflict of interest. They are controlled by the tribal fishing association lobbyists. If the salmon are endangered than don't fish, stop clear cut logging, stop building dams, stop polluting the rivers. Killing sea mammals for eating their food is not right. Humans can eat other food even if some people (fisherman, tribes, licensing agencies) don't make a profit.

Killing of SeaLions for profit is wrong. This is obviously profit driven because one species, Salmon, are profitable and the other, Sea Lions, are not. Every year the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife raises quotas on fishing of salmon. They make money licensing for fishing. How can they decide to kill mammals and no one else can say no. This is a conflict of interest. They are controlled by the tribal fishing association lobbyists. If the salmon are endangered than don't fish, stop clear cut logging, stop building dams, stop polluting the rivers. Killing sea mammals for eating their food is not right. Humans can eat other food even if some people (fisherman, tribes, licensing agencies) don't make a profit.

Killing of SeaLions for profit is wrong. This is obviously profit driven because one species, Salmon, are profitable and the other, Sea Lions, are not. Every year the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife raises quotas on fishing of salmon. They make money licensing for fishing. How can they decide to kill mammals and no one else can say no. This is a conflict of interest. They are controlled by the tribal fishing association lobbyists. If the salmon are endangered than don't fish, stop clear cut logging, stop building dams, stop polluting the rivers. Killing sea mammals for eating their food is not right. Humans can eat other food even if some people (fisherman, tribes, licensing agencies) don't make a profit.

Chad,

"Where in history did hundreds of sea lions congregate at a natural barrier and feed on thousands of trapped salmon? I don't think that such a place ever existed. Your numbers are misleading. Sure many sea lions and seals congregated at the river mouth and for a mile maybe more upstream, but nothing like what we see today."

By that logic, commercial fishing is a much bigger problem than sea lions. After all, when in history before now did we have ships harvesting millions of tons of fish every year?

As far as nobody enjoying the killing, maybe you should scroll up to some of the more nakedly bloodthirsty comments above yours. Or maybe you can read some of the bulletin board threads on the subject.

Also, the "salmon death trap" you mention isn't just damns and sea lions. It's deforestation, pollution, algal blooms, overfishing, loss of habitat and probably a dozen other things I've forgotten to mention. This quick-fix nonsense isn't going to solve the problem. All it's going to do is mollify the same kind of people who thought diverting water to the Klamath basin farmers was more important than the very same fish we're talking about right now. Do we remember how that played out?

sea lions are a big problem with the salmon. they also eat the endangerd stocks of salmon that need protection. i am glad to see that they will be terminating the sea lions.

Maybe we should call them Aqua Kittens so they don't sound so mean and dangerous. Sea Lions! Scary!!

The only sea lions that need to be moved are the problem ones at the dam. For people Who think the sea lions wouldn't be here if it weren't for the dam, that's neither here nor there. You want power? Unless you live in the dark get over it. Oregon and Washington have been given the OK to get rid of the problem sea lions. Maybe some of you could go down and see if they can get rid of you too.

Kill the lions and Radical Republicans! Start with sea lion/traitor Rush Limbaugh!

As for allowing Nature to take its course, that only pertains when Nature is being Kind, every time a Sea Lion gets sick and washes up on shore its rescued and the person who broke the law and removed it from the Beach is hailed as a Hero by the Media. Remember when the Whales came into Puget Sound to eat Seals, The poor Seals were Trembling with Fear on the sand bars, as our local News Station put it. Then later when the Wales came back they wanted to haze them away,Is this letting Nature take its course? Seals and Sea lions are over Populated and need to be controlled, We cannot sit back and watch and laugh and comment on how cute they are and have them completely decimate the fish like they did at the Ballard locks, Yes we created the problem, but we need to act now and not wait until its to late. d98z6w

I read some of the previous comments, and have to laugh at many, especially those who espouse that the sea lions should be spared and Man (as usual in their drivel) is always the cause of the world's ills. Somehow, I don't get the idea that these sea lions are any part of the natural order in the Columbia River ecosystem, not California sea lions, anyhow. We went through this load of crap a few years ago with "Herschal" (the sea lion who hung out at the Ballard Locks and ate all the salmon he could). I don't know what kind of sea lion he was, and frankly don't give a damn. I am in favor of the killing of the sea lions, plain and simple. Banning commercial fishing isn't a solution; how are you geniuses who advocate that going to compensate the hard-working fishermen who follow the rules, limits, etc.? What work will you suggest they take up, sea lion herding? You never know, we may develop a taste for sea lion steaks here in the Northwest. So, be careful what you want banned, it may be replaced with your worst nightmare. PS, Sane Man, you're a moron.

All i have to say to you stupid ass hippie vegan sit on the toilet to piss men out there who want the poor little cute cuddly sealions to live is why dont you bring them to live with you at your place. Hopefully theyll eat your little cute groomed dog and then we can just say they were here long before us so its ok that they ate your f'n dog. Sealion season 2009 gonna be a banner year

MAN'S GREED IS THE CAUSE OF THE DECREASE IN THE SALMON NOT THE SEA LIONS, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN NATURE. WHEN OUR WE AS SPECIES GOING TO ACCEPT THE FACTS, GREED AND OVER POPULATION OF OUR OWN SPECIES ARE THE MAIN FACTORS BEHIND THIS SITUATION.

Scott Johnson.. I agree with you... but, further.. remove the Damn dams and restore the eco systems that Americans decided 100yrs ago were better than Nature to control the environment! Man can really screw it up better than most others.. including the Sea Lions.. at least they have jobs and know how to survive!!

May be we can put a saving the environment club and see how many people will join us.

Yeah i do think they should shoot to kill. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE DO I SIGN UP AT?

This is humans way of life,to kill.If people would stop killing off animals,they,the animals would take care of their own over population.Man has stepped in for greedy reasons and hide behind the excuses to kill and in return have and are screwing everything up.So many people solve problems with control and killing and torchering.Sad!Won't be happy till all the animals are dead,then what will you kill.Go target shooting and leave people and animals alone!
Darla