HR 2083-The Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Act

[Slobray]

Support the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Act

In early August, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife published a report stating there is a 90 percent probability that at least one population of wild Willamette River steelhead will go extinct due to the presence of California sea lions at Willamette Falls.
Dr. Shaun Clements from ODFW said of the problem: "We know what the problem is and have seen this coming for about a decade, we just couldn't take action to prevent it."

Read the full report here.

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Battle Ground) introduced HR 2083-The Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Act, which will allow local resource managers to protect native salmon and steelhead runs by lethally removing sea lions from problem areas like Willamette Falls.

Read Rep. Herrera Beutler's article in The Columbian.

Rep. Herrera Beutler states that although her bill has bipartisan support in the U.S. House, Oregon and Washington's senators must support it in the U.S. Senate. The Congress is currently on recess; help make sure this bill is at the forefront of their minds when they resume session on Sept. 5.

Please take a minute and write to your senators to express your support for, and the importance of the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Act :


Oregon
Contact Senator Ron Wyden
Contact Senator Jeff Merkley

Washington
Contact Senator Maria Cantwell
Contact Senator Patty Murray

Thank you!

Why haven't we heard of this sooner?
Herrera Beutler: To save steelhead, we must cut sea lion numbers
Text - H.R.2083 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act


I'm sure those 4 are totally against this (because it might actually have an effect), but I guess it's worth a try.



Ray

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[HB of CJ]

If this situation is 99% natural without mans intervention or control, then let nature take its course. Stressing the Salmon may or may not help them. They may go extinct. Species come and go all the time. Mother nature. The key here is are we causing this? Sad, but there you have it.

 

[GOG]

Another case of gubmint "Here, hold my beer."

 

[bbbass]

Why can't we deport those Calif sea lions back to San Diego?

 

[Caveman Jim]

Why can't we deport those Calif sea lions back to San Diego?

Been there done that at Ballard locks back in the late 80's, the seal huggers fought every effort of leathaly removing Herschel & his group. They trapped & sent em back to Cali and 3 weeks later they were back & finished eating what was left of the Ceder river winter steelhead run.....

 

[bbbass]

I remember that! Did they really ship them that far? Didn't know that.

Edit:

Since 1985, state biologists have attempted some creative, yet ineffective, tactics to solve the problem, but the sea lions have foiled these plans:

-- Sea lions were offered tainted fish to make them sick, but quickly learned to avoid dead food.


-- Sea lions were bombarded with underwater recordings of orca whale calls but soon seemed to catch on to the bluff.


-- Sea lions were shot at with rubber-tipped arrows and subjected to exploding underwater firecrackers, but this probably disturbed the steelhead more than the sea lions.


-- Sea lions were trapped and shipped back to both the Oregon and California coasts on multiple occasions, but each time the animals swam back to the Locks in a matter of weeks.


The predator-prey fishbowl situation at the Ballard Locks is an environmental dilemma that has stubbornly resisted resolution and has pitted special-interest groups against government agencies. William Rogers, University of Washington professor of law, observes: "The sea lion situation at the Locks has evolved into a dysfunctional environmental problem where meaningful solutions are being replaced by guns and law suits."

 

[ArgentineSteel]

If this situation is 99% natural without mans intervention or control, then let nature take its course. Stressing the Salmon may or may not help them. They may go extinct. Species come and go all the time. Mother nature. The key here is are we causing this? Sad, but there you have it.

It's the bottle neck of the locks and fish ladders that allow the sea lions to decimate a run like this.
We know the answer to the problem. Shoot the sea lions that set up permanent home at the locks. It saves hundreds of fish
You could import a grizzly or two to patrol the docks for sea lion snacks if you want an all natural solution. But at these locations the Sea Lions have no natural predators, plenty of food, and they aren't leaving by choice.

 

[KKG]

I worked the Quiluete River in WA as a Fisheries Patrol Officer and my conclusion was that the Indians are the Real problem because they take much more than Their fair share of fish. Yep, the Sea Lions are a problem too but the Indians are the Biggest cause of the reduction in the fishery. That's my first hand take.

 

[jsparks747]

Hunting season?

 

[Caveman Jim]

I worked the Quiluete River in WA as a Fisheries Patrol Officer and my conclusion was that the Indians are the Real problem because they take much more than Their fair share of fish. Yep, the Sea Lions are a problem too but the Indians are the Biggest cause of the reduction in the fishery. That's my first hand take.

Yes indeed, one just has to look at the situation on the Skokomish River the last 2 years. The tribe decided that they own the river and closed it to non-tribal fisherman. That river is stocked with Hatchery fish paid for by the fees & taxes of sports fisherman but we do not get to Fish the river for them.
WDFW has sided with the tribes & have slapped the sportsfishermen in the face.

 

[KKG]

The Judge Bolt Decision really killed the Fishing Industry and the Sport Fishing as well.

 

[Caveman Jim]

The Judge Bolt Decision really killed the Fishing Industry and the Sport Fishing as well.

It surely put our interests in a negative way...
How long is our generation going to have to pay for what happened a hundred or so years ago???

 

[KKG]

How long is our generation going to have to pay for what happened a hundred or so years ago???

It's been a long time since I read the decision but if I remember correctly he based his decision on two things. One: A Treaty of 1864. AND Two: His marriage to an Indian. Not what I would call a "Fair" combo.

 

[Caveman Jim]

It was surely squat from the start, like having an anti gun judge presiding over the fate of a law abiding gun owner in a shooting case....