Sea Lion Killed by Oregon Fish and Wildlife for eating 9 fish - Sea Lion Defense Brigade

[Annces]

The animal who was put to death by ODFW was branded C928. He was killed because he was accused of eating 9 fish.

Once again, the State of Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife has lied to the public regarding the killing of Columbia river sea lions. On May 19th of this year, they claimed in a public statement that the trapping and killing had ended for the year. However, on August 24th, they trapped a sea lion on the Oregon coast, in Astoria, more than a hundred miles from Bonneville dam. And they killed him. They claimed he "met the criteria for removal," meaning that he had been "observed eating at least one fish."
The state failed to notify the public of this killing in a timely manner.

At a time when thousands of sea lions are starving to death from Chile to Canada, when the public is struggling to save them, and while NOAA is apparently trying to figure out why they are dying, the ODFW has resumed killing those sea lions who venture into Oregon waters. The irony is compounded when one appreciates that the reason so many sea lions are starving to death is very likely over-fishing. (For more information on the connection between over-fishing and starving sea lions, see http://sealiondefensebrigade.org/?p=475.) And so, to protect the interests of people who want to fish until there are no fish left in the oceans, the ODFW is killing sea lions to make more room for the fishermen.

Monitors are urgently needed to observe the Astoria traps, and to hand out fliers and educate the public about what is happening to these sea lions. If you care about this ecosystem and the animals who share it with us, we need your creativity, your energy, and your passion. We had anticipated that the killing would not commence again until the spring, given that the State claimed the killing was over for 2009. Now, we have been reminded yet again that we cannot trust anything that the ODFW says, and that we must get back out to the water to save these sea lions. We cannot wait until the spring. Please contact the Sea Lion Defense Brigade to find out how you can help. You can reach us by emailing [e-mail], or you can also reach us through our friends at NW In Defense of Animals by calling [phone].

(The animal who was put to death by ODFW was branded C928. He was killed because he was accused of eating 9 fish.)


http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2009/08/393795.shtml?discuss

www.sealiondefensebrigade.org

[panader0]

1. Isn't that what they eat?

Damn Death Panel!

[Number9Dream]

2. Was unaware of starving sea lions

Thank you, Annces, for this info. Very sad. Recommended.

[ORDagnabbit]

3. and humans take huge huge huge amounts.... shut the humans down for a while!

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. A better option than killing sea lions -

ban fishing for 5 years.

Human beings are supremely adaptable. We can adjust to living without fish for a few years. In five years the fisheries will re-establish themselves and we can return to dining on succulent fishies. For the fishermen and dock workers who would lose their jobs, provide government subsidies and allow them to do tourism business until the fishing ban expires. Instead of making 40k/yr fishing, have the government give them 30k for doing nothing at all.

Farmers rotate fields, allowing them to go fallow so they can replenish themselves. We need to do the same for the oceans.

[erehwon2]

6. Agreed

I've said for quite some time now that a global moratorium on commercial fishing would benefit everyone, even the fishing industry. My number was different, I've suggested 2 years, but I like 5 years even better.

Instead of paying the fishers and dockworkers for doing nothing, in addition to tourism I'd add that the boats now out there causing the trouble could be hired to patrol fishing areas for any cheaters. After all, who's better qualified than someone who knows the beat? A side benefit would be that the boats would have upkeep and maintenance while waiting for fishing to start up again. They'll be glad they waited once they get their paws on replenished stocks, and probably won't go knocking seals on the head any more.

It would also be cool if the aquatic hall montors could also have some limited powers like cutting driftnets and tossing shark finners overboard, but I'm just dreaming I guess.

[onenote]

8. we definitely need to do more to control commercial fishing

But your proposal of a ban is unrealistic. First of all, it would only drive up fishing by the non US fishing industry in international waters. There is no way a ban on all commercial fishing worldwide is going to be adopted and its would be naieve to think otherwise. Moreover, the cost would be not insignificant -- according to NOAA, in 2006, commercial fishing in the US generated over $44 billion income and supported over 1.5 million jobs (including not only the fishermen/women but also the associated industries that process and distribute the catch. It is not politically sustainable to think (1) that those employed by the commercial fishing industry can be subsidized at only 75 percent of their current income or (ii) that, even at a 75 percent subsidy rate, the government is going to come up with 165 billion dollars over the next five years to simply shut down the American fishing industry while the rest of the world goes along its merry way.

I am completely sympathetic. Indeed, my wife changed careers a few years ago to follow her passion, which is marine conservation. But we need to be realistic and not get distracted by pie-in-the-sky ideas that have no chance of becoming reality.

[Shell Beau]

5. So he was killed for trying to survive basically.

WTF is he supposed to eat? This is such bullshit. This makes me so mad.

[Annces]

7. Exactly

It is wrong. The Humane Society has been trying to battle this legally. But really if people got involved, that lived in the area of the Columbia River and it got on the news and people exposed the Oregon Fish and Wildlife as being cruel, then that would end this practice quick.

[Sebastian Doyle]

9. If a sea lion is able to swim over 100 miles upstream

to a place where you don't usually find saltwater critters, then I would say he's earned his right to eat a few fish.