Northwest Fishing Reports

Sea lion in Lake Washington, today, when I was fishing - This can't be good...especially when eating steelhead, king salmon, coho salmon, cutthroat trout, sockeye smolt, etc...I think the pan fish are OK...lol.


READ THIS ARTICLE ON SEA LIONS DESTROYING OUR STEELIES AND OTHER FISH: (ARTICLE PUBLISHED JUST FOUR DAYS AGO ON 02.19.08)

http://columbian.com/business/businessN ... r-fish.cfm

Another article on if they are native or not, and other pertinent information concerning this serious problem:

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/SeaLion/faqs.asp

Another good read just published this Month on the 15th in the Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/o ... ons15.html

FROM THE FIRST ARTICLE:

"The chunky California sea lions killed two-thirds of the winter steelhead at the waterway linking Puget Sound with Lake Union and Lake Washington. Even today, that run has not fully recovered.

Sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. When Sen. Warren G. Magnuson authored the law, Herschel and his hungry friends were few in numbers. But since the federal law passed, seal and sea lion populations have exploded. For example, the Washington Fish and Game Department estimated that the California sea lion population on the West Coast grew from 10,000 in 1950 to over 300,000 by 2005.

Sea lions are smart. They nearly drove fish and game officials crazy. The experts tried just about everything to scare hefty predators away from the Ballard Locks and even came up with "Fake Willy," a 16-foot fiberglass killer whale. All that happened is the paint got scratched up and the sea lions swam right by the bogus Orca to feast on the incoming runs.

Scientists even captured the biggest offenders and trucked them to California, but Herschel and his buddies nearly beat the trucks back to Seattle and continued to "chow away."

The run of 2,500 steelhead had collapsed to as few as 70 fish. Other sea lions didn't take their place, but it wasn't because they feared capture, underwater noise-makers, or a fake whale. No food, no sea lions.

In fact each year the sea lion population increases by five percent, and the animals are arriving earlier each year and staying longer.

NOAA Fisheries Services, at the urging of fishermen and Columbia River tribes, wants permission to kill up to 30 sea lions before the runs are wiped out. So unless Sea World or someone else steps forward, either some troublemaker sea lions will have to go or the fish runs will end up like the winter steelhead run at the Ballard Locks.

History repeating itself..."

Something has to be done.

"In 1988 and 1989, resource managers captured a total of 39 California sea lions that had been foraging at the Ballard Locks and transported them to the outer Washington coast near Long Beach where they were released. Within a few weeks of the time they were released, 29 of those animals returned to the Locks to resume preying on salmon and steelhead in Shilshole Bay."

Not a good sign. Where was he swimming around?

Sam Kafelafish wrote:Not a good sign. Where was he swimming around?

Kirkland area, eastside of the lake. He was also eating fish and flipping them around in the air like they do. If more of them make it into this lake our steelhead runs are going to be non-exsistent. Something has to be done...I'm not so concerned about the cutts because there are a lot them in Lake Washington.

..."based on California sea lions’ metabolic needs, indicates that 100 animals feeding in that area may consume as many as 13,000 salmon each spring. In addition, sea lions are foraging in the other 140 miles of the lower river, and in tributaries."

"Previous experience with California sea lions at Seattle’s Ballard Locks demonstrates the risk these animals can pose to vulnerable fish stocks. From the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, resource managers tried a variety of methods to deter sea lions from preying on Lake Washington winter steelhead. Those efforts were unsuccessful, and sea lion predation continued until the run was effectively destroyed. Today, Lake Washington winter steelhead remain at critically low levels and the population is not expected to recover. With sea lion numbers and predation increasing on the lower Columbia River, fish managers fear some Columbia and Snake River stocks could meet the same fate."

NOT EXPECTED TO RECOVER! THIS IS HOG WASH. AND THEY ARE STILL PROTECTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW. WOW. DOES ANYONE ELSE FIND THIS SAD AND ABSURD? "Between 2002 and 2007, there has been a 382-percent increase in salmon being eaten by sea lions."

Hopefully:

"In addition, Washington, Oregon and Idaho have petitioned the federal government for authority to use lethal means if necessary to remove individual sea lions from the vicinity of the dam, and to remove marked sea lions that have preyed on salmon near the dam. The states are applying for this removal authority under Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The states’ Section 120 application is subject to a federal review process that could take several years. A congressional effort is under way to allow the states to manage the sea lion predation problem in the interim. U.S. Reps. Brian Baird, Doc Hastings and Norm Dicks of Washington, and Greg Walden of Oregon have introduced legislation in Congress that—if successful—could allow the states and four Columbia River Indian tribes to lethally remove a limited number of Columbia River sea lions as early as this spring."

"Quasi-domesticated sea lions may be acceptable to the Pier 39 tourists in San Francisco, but not on the Columbia River. There is no nobility in one species squatting in a fish ladder and eating another into extinction."

Isn't that the truth?!

"According to NOAA Fisheries' environmental assessment, the most-aggressive 2008 management option could take 48,000 salmon out of the jaws of sea lions and pass them safely above Bonneville Dam. A total of only 66,646 chinook made it safely above Bonneville during the 2007 run.

Northwest salmon lovers can be pardoned for any sense of déjà vu. Last decade's tragedy at Ballard Locks began with similar circumstances. Regrettably in that case, myopic interests impeded desperately needed management, resulting in the functional extinction of the Lake Washington winter steelhead.

It's a heart-wrenching scene at Bonneville Dam for those who are devoting their lives to building sustainable fish populations. River watchers have reported schools of ancient sturgeon huddling in shallow water, looking for refuge from marauding sea lions."

- The Seattle Times

This issue matters to each one of us that fishes Washington waters and buys a license to fish...because, like it or not you are being impacted...sometimes in a large way. I see lawful lethal removal by professionals as the only way around this issue...then we can see our fish thrive again and have steelhead fisheries for our kids and the next generations...not just us, right now; but the future.

It's a real heated debate. I'd like it if they could get rid of the entire population of the sealions at the locks. But then another dozen would manage to find it as a trap for salmon and would post up there. Unfortunately we can't figure out an issue with the sealions. While they aren't the only cause for our depleting salmon/steelhead runs, I still think something needs to be done with them. Their numbers are huge now and I don't see why they are protected anymore. Now they are ruining salmon runs.....

Sam Kafelafish wrote: Now they are ruining salmon runs.....

That's the sad reality. And it's just a selected few sea lions that spoil it for all the sea lions. Only 2-3 sea lions wreak havoc on our locks...it's a BIG problem, but one where the number of actual sea lions is small. I'm still astounded that we haven't made better progress in this department as of late -- I've looked into this and I am going to contact Norm Dicks and other legislators after what I saw today -- just unacceptable.

Remove the "Bambi Laws" and have a regulated sea lion harvest. Their is no scientifis basis for their protection as they were never threatened. It all goes back to the clubbing of seals for fur and public cries over the cute little babies being bludgeoned to death. A wrap around policy protected sea lions as a by-product and now we have sea lions killing endangered runs of salmon and steelhead, and even 80-year-old sturgeon.

There will be a day without salmon and steelhead if we don't start butchering these nuisance animals whose population is dangerously out of balance within its environment. That's why we have hunting and trapping seasons for other wildlife. Proper management, not recreation. Recreational hunting and trapping is a by-product of sound scientific wildlife management. That's what needs to happen. If it doesn't, within ten years no one will legally catch a salmon or steelhead in the Northwest. They will attempt to manage sportsmen before cleaning their own house of cards.

cavdad45 wrote:Remove the "Bambi Laws" and have a regulated sea lion harvest. Their is no scientifis basis for their protection as they were never threatened. It all goes back to the clubbing of seals for fur and public cries over the cute little babies being bludgeoned to death. A wrap around policy protected sea lions as a by-product and now we have sea lions killing endangered runs of salmon and steelhead, and even 80-year-old sturgeon.

There will be a day without salmon and steelhead if we don't start butchering these nuisance animals whose population is dangerously out of balance within its environment. That's why we have hunting and trapping seasons for other wildlife. Proper management, not recreation. Recreational hunting and trapping is a by-product of sound scientific wildlife management. That's what needs to happen. If it doesn't, within ten years no one will legally catch a salmon or steelhead in the Northwest. They will attempt to manage sportsmen before cleaning their own house of cards.

Bingo. Exactly. Well put. I'm glad you see the implications in years to come. Thanks for reading.

Well that HAS to be explain why I can't catch any bass out there!!! LOL Not that I target silver fish, but sea lions sure are a detriment to their population. I bet that was a sight to see. Did you outfish him?

2000subaru wrote:Well that HAS to be explain why I can't catch any bass out there!!! LOL Not that I target silver fish, but sea lions sure are a detriment to their population. I bet that was a sight to see. Did you outfish him?

Lol...I just was thinking of that...the bass...I bet they don't even touch those bass and perch...I think they're real selective...just like we are towards food...AND yes, I think he did. I saw him take a couple, and that was just when I was watching him, or he was watching me. They are very smart creatures...he came right up to my Zodiac and said "hi buddy"...and then went on his merry way. I estimate he ate probably 20-40 fish today, and I know some of them were of the silver variety - i.e. steelhead smolt and cutthroat trout. Oh well, there's only so much I can do...

what kind of fish did it look like he was catching?

I used to see one on the log boom over by UW most days when commuting to work. This was about 15 years ago. It may not have been the same one every time.

zen leecher aka Bill W wrote:what kind of fish did it look like he was catching?

Looked much like a sea-run cutthroat. It was hard to tell, but I had caught one earlier in the day and it looked identical...but it could have been a late run coho or steelie...I'll never know. I think they are thinning out the cutthroat population...and this concerns me. What would happen if we put a sea-lion in Pine Lake on the Plateau? Those trout would be gone in a matter of days...

cutthroatkiller wrote:

zen leecher aka Bill W wrote:what kind of fish did it look like he was catching?

Looked much like a sea-run cutthroat. It was hard to tell, but I had caught one earlier in the day and it looked identical...but it could have been a late run coho or steelie...I'll never know. I think they are thinning out the cutthroat population...and this concerns me. What would happen if we put a sea-lion in Pine Lake on the Plateau? Those trout would be gone in a matter of days...

They are voracious eaters. They won't stop eating as long as theirs food for them to eat. Unfortunately, fish stacking up at fish ladders creates a prime spot for these sea lions to literally camp out and open their mouths...

A Native Alaskan friend told me they used to harvest sea lions. Change the federal law and have an open season. Doesn't their skin make good leather?

Palmer wrote:A Native Alaskan friend told me they used to harvest sea lions. Change the federal law and have an open season. Doesn't their skin make good leather?

I wouldn't go so far as to advocate a sea lion harvest, by any means, that perhaps isn't the best manner to solve this problem, other than perhaps having federal wildlife officals take out the most problematic sea lions...such as in the 1980's, but I do believe their skins make good leather...

They make excellent crab bait...

This is a turning into a very political thing in Wa State.Dont forget where we live gentlemen.In this state its better to watch people starve to death and lose their homes and livelyhood so 4 owls can live in peace.This is a state where we build hotels and housing for homeless and others not willing to work.This is the state where gas is most expensive even though we use Alaskan crude and not arab oil.This is the state where salmon,steelhead runs can be destroyed just to let the California sealions thrive.I give up trying to figure out why.In Wa state you can kill 4 people and get 5 years in jail or if youre a kid and commit murder you get off with nothing,and if you kill a seal you'll get life.GO FIGURE!!!!
The solution is lets start eating Sea-lions.Instead of Sockeye fishing we can have Sealion hunting instead.

racfish wrote: The solution is lets start eating Sea-lions.Instead of Sockeye fishing we can have Sealion hunting instead.

Amen RACFISH! It's time to eat some lion!

The day they de-list sea lions I'll be on the sound looking for my first trophy and I don't mean a Bayliner boat.

zen leecher aka Bill W wrote:The day they de-list sea lions I'll be on the sound looking for my first trophy and I don't mean a Bayliner boat.