Sea Lions....... A RANT

[Blane67]

I personally have seen them take fish off a line up here at Drano lake, there's a couple gals at Bonneville dam looking at/counting them through binoc's, not scopes. WHAT THE HE**!

 

[sailorman2010]

If it makes you feel any better, I was I headed out to Dutch Harbor in the Winter of 08' on a tug and tow. We came upon a pod of killer whales throwing a sea lion around in the air and training a yearling killer whale how to hunt. They were just tossing it back and forth like a rag doll. A pretty awesome display of nature!

 

[Blane67]

Thanks sailorman, that does make me feel a little better. I have seen similiar footage on nat. geo. or discover, they're pretty damn smart.

 

[Dennis316]

i go salmon fishing here on the docks before the salmon head up rivers and there are guys out with sling shots all the time. I may or may not have seen them hit some of those sea rats right in the face on many occassions...ive seen big 15+lb silvers taken off lines and even out of nets. (the dock is high out of the water so the net is about 12ft long) Alot of times they take them, lure and all, and just drag and drag til the fisherman cuts his line...i hope they eat the lure and choke on it.

 

[i8asquirrel]

If it makes you feel any better, I was I headed out to Dutch Harbor in the Winter of 08' on a tug and tow. We came upon a pod of killer whales throwing a sea lion around in the air and training a yearling killer whale how to hunt. They were just tossing it back and forth like a rag doll. A pretty awesome display of nature!

I have seen that on Hoodcanal, the problem is Killer whales dont go 150 miles up river into fresh water. But Sea Lions do , Nature is out of balance up river.
These have become another subspieces and something needs to be done. :gun14:

 

[Blitzkrieg]

If the toxic levels in Salmon and Sturgeon are so High why dont we have dead Sealions laying around on the beaches????
Hey maybe thats It , They should start to die off due to Higher than normal Lead levels!!

2 reasons

1) Sea lions likely don't live long enough for the toxins to kill them off

2) Humans do, because we are not sea lions

 

[i8asquirrel]

I'll believe the sturgeon can build up toxins being as long lived as they are . but Salmon are short lived and even though great preditors they are transiant on in the rivers for a short time. Apposed to sturgeon who could spend decades living bellow a Paper mill ( like oregon city ) before they even reach breading age.
I'll take my chances with hypothetical toxins , It won't matter if the FREAKING Sea Lions wipe out the brood stock...

 

[teflon6string]

For crabbing, sea lions love to attack fishy bait like tuna heads, sometimes before the pots hit the bottom. In my experience they've ignored turkey and mink. And they ignored my fishy bait when I put some mink or turkey with it.

Perhaps Bear Grylls' new look in that sealskin wetsuit top will take off? Make a bold fashion statement and help reduce the overpopulation all at once. You're gonna like the way you look in a sea lion vest. I guarantee it.

 

[drew]

Perhaps Bear Grylls' new look in that sealskin wetsuit top will take off? Make a bold fashion statement and help reduce the overpopulation all at once. You're gonna like the way you look in a sea lion vest. I guarantee it.

Those vests will go great with a wolf cape.

Your crabbing experience is basically what I've found. Makes it a pain when all you have is some leftover fishing bait though.

 

[Martini_Up]

California Sea Lions. First off, they're in Oregon/Washington. Second, they're in a river. Lastly, they're breaking the law and killing endangered species!!! Either we create a new species (N.W. River Dog) and therefore circumvent the marine mammal BS law and proceed to take care of business OR turn the Native American's loose on them.

 

[Trlsmn]

They need to issue some Indian hunting permits for them.

Dang man you're hardcore, we quit hunting Indians a hundred years ago!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Permit issued to the N.W. River Dog, allowed to hunt indians during prescribed season and subject to daily bag limits and size charts

 

[marty8587]

Why only Indians?

 

[sheepdip]

shoot them all, maybe their bleeding carcasses will draw in some great whites. shoot them too!

 

[clarthom]

Nukes are the only good energy we have left.

what?! biomass, wind energy, OSU is researching WAVE energy, solar, geo-thermal...all of these are deemed "green" and produce more energy than they do harm...read

 

[clarthom]

i live in astoria and always have to listen to the tourists talking about how cute the sealions are down at the east moring basin...i wish i could shoot every one of those pieces of garbage, loud, destructive, and an invasive species

 

[sheepdip]

amen brother!

 

[Jamie6.5]

I do believe the Marine Mammal Protection Act is THE prime example of what happens when environmental and species protection laws are written that have NO sunset clause, or limitations based on numbers/species/proliferation, or damages the species does.
It sounded pretty good when it was written, but has clearly outlived it's worth, with regard to the Kalifornia sea lion.
Unfortunately, animal rights/protection groups have the dollars and the legal teams to ensure ridiculous laws like these stay on the books, regardless of any damages that are done by the animal(s) in question..

Lesson? Certainly. Don't EVER let a lawmaker or advocate tell you that regulations of this nature should survive in perpetuity.

There is a current proposal for the Oregon Coast that has the same stipulation, (FOREVER) and animal rights groups are the driving force behind that effort also.
A sunset clause can be moved back, or allowed to bring an end to laws when they are proven unnecessary or overly restrictive. Forever is a looonnngg time.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Why only Indians?

Because turnabout is fair play!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

i live in astoria and always have to listen to the tourists talking about how cute the sealions are down at the east moring basin...i wish i could shoot every one of those pieces of garbage, loud, destructive, and an invasive species

They are a part of the ecosystem and need to exist. Just not in the artificial numbers they have been allowed to..