DC: Legislation that would make killing sea lions in the Pacific Northwest easier passed Congress Tuesday and is waiting for President Donald Trump’s approval, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) reports.
Sea lions in Washington and Oregon are feeding on endangered salmon and steelhead trout and risk wiping them out of the area completely. Wildlife officials in the state are pushing to relax federal protections on sea lions to allow some hunting and manage the predators’ population.
The bill loosens restrictions on killing sea lions under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. It allows wildlife officials to approve the hunting of up to 100 sea lions annually. (RELATED: Report: Feds Are Wasting Billions Protecting ‘Endangered’ Animals That Are Just Fine)
“I suspect many would wish the times were different and this legislation wasn’t necessary,” Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission executive director Jaime Pinkham told OPB. “But the reality is that this legislation has become necessary.”
Critics of the bill say the sea lion population is being unjustly blamed for the failure of wildlife officials to properly manage and protect the endangered fish, OPB reports. MORE HERE
SNIP: Can’t we just let animals handle their own business for once?!
How would that be any fun? Need power and control over something. Kind of like climate control.
This story makes me want to club baby harp seals. Again.
@MJA:
No-no-no-no-no! Those animals must be managed, and by people who wear Fitbits, buy $7.00 coffee at Starbucks, drive Priuses, and take the taxpayer for a ride to the tune of a $200K salary and better retirement bennies.
Just bought 3 lbs of salt and a 12″ magnifying glass.
Those slugs and ants have been F’ with me for years.
Came to this conclusion after talking with my new neighbor Dee Synder after he said ,,No you don’t have to take it.
I’m for killing a bunch of them. They’ve learned to hang out at the base of Bonneville Dam, on the Columbia River and gorge themselves on Salmon. They are a nuisance predator.
Hey, I was way the hell up the California Delta about 10 years ago fight a killer current sticken fish. Had my sons with me on the back of the boats. This is all REALLY FRESH water. next thing ya know my boys are scurrying up to the Bow, with me. I look back and there’s some damn seal trying to haul out on my Bass Boat. Fuck That. I ran back there and beat the shit out of him with a landing net. Or what use to be a landing net. Anyway, me and the Seal are not pals, we lefts, on the pad.
Someone has already started:
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/two-more-sea-lions-confirmed-shot-and-killed-brings-total-to-12/885750467
Sea Lions are dangerous and they don’t GAS. Had California let the whales and sharks eat them like they’re supposed to, they wouldn’t be having this problem.
Jimmy, Someone has already started:
but were they armed?
If it is done- limited permits, no charge. indigenous hunters only. Registered kills and enforced limits.
Otherwise, it will be seen as a money making opportunity, ala taxes and fees.
“Had California let the whales and sharks eat them like they’re supposed to, they wouldn’t be having this problem.”
I can see Cali legislating this. However, it seems a bit hard to enforce. What are you smoking? LOL
What are you smoking?
Sea Lions, smooth took Dude
Cali legislation responds
Well, the seals, sea lions and otters are absolutely wrecking all the fisheries along the Pacific Coast.
Just like the increasing wolf, coyote and lion populations are devastating wildlife anywhere they are. It’s not over-hunting by humans that is causing lower herd numbers.
Ha. Unintended consequences. Ha-ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha…
Damn! I wonder if the horde of ILLEGAL invaders from South of the border were eating the ‘endangered’ salmon, would congress quit wasting time on this trivial shit and vote on the wall!!!!
Stupid congress just doesn’t get it. Their constituents want protection. Build the wall and stop giving America away to freeloaders.
The enviro nazis, have been going nuts, forcing the removal of dams all over the PNW, to protect the salmon. The sea lions, being protected themselves have been decimating the salmon. This mess is the result of animal “rights” wackos who live nowhere near the affected area. I hope president Trump allows the “thinning of the herd”. But I am sure PETA will sue to stop him.
100 per year does not even begin to address the problem, 1,000 per year would be better. Put a bounty on sea lions, let the Indians harvest as many as possible. Pay the Indians $1,000 per sea lion and $10,000 for every environmentalist they harvest.
Maybe we need to get a Seal of approval to kill all the damned sea lions. I hear that they’re also a menace around the Ballard locks in Seattle as well.
Non-native California sea lions at man-made structures killing the fish. Not eating the fish, largely simply killing them. Relocating them to California only works for a few days and they are too art to be harassed out of the area. So, yes you might have to kill a few. Hundred.
We don’t have sea lions around here. But apparently we have a lot of people who like to have sex with alligators, so much so that they put up “do not molest” signs everywhere.
@toby miles December 13, 2018 at 11:59 pm
> If it is done- limited permits, no charge. indigenous hunters only. Registered kills and enforced limits.
> Otherwise, it will be seen as a money making opportunity, ala taxes and fees.
THAT”S TERRORIST TALK!
@Mighty Mojo December 14, 2018 at 12:19 am
> Damn! I wonder if the horde of ILLEGAL invaders from South of the border were eating the ‘endangered’ salmon, would congress quit wasting time on this trivial shit and vote on the wall!!!!
>
> Stupid congress just doesn’t get it. Their constituents want protection. Build the wall and stop giving America away to freeloaders.
Quit mixing metaphors! Either a sea wall, to keep out the invaders. Or licensed hunting of invaders.
@judgeroybean December 14, 2018 at 1:21 am
> Pay the Indians $1,000 per sea lion and $10,000 for every environmentalist they harvest.
United States dollars!? Dude, quit tryin’ to cheat ’em outta’ the glass beads!
If they taste like chicken I’m all in.
Remember when the American Alligator was endangered?
Now they’re thick as flies in an expanded range.
Maybe someday man will finally realize that the planet takes care of shit in its own time.
Sea Lions are NOT “Endangered”. They are “Protected”; huge difference. Just like goddam Seagulls are Protected. Sea Lions are nasty as hell too – they look like sleek Dachshunds and they’re twice as mean.