The birds

[RJ]

anyone notice it's looking like a sequel to a certain Hitchcock movie out there on our
rivers and bay's.There's like hundreds to even thousands of Commarant's and Terns everywhere I go and Gee I wonder what there
eating:O no say it ain't so.(our fish)Really?
ok I'm through being a smartass.The BPA can spend millions of our dollars attempting to bring the Salmon runs back but until we the people put pressure on our congress to allow individual states to manage these predators we will never see what could be.anyone with comments or suggetions?.we did not create this mess but UNITED we can control it. RJ

[RJ]

Right on ZaQ!!!! I had thought that this topic might generate some responses and geniun concerns Idea's Ect,Ect but I was wrong so I'll be like all good fry should be
and find a rock to hide under and hope THE
BIRDS!!!!don't get me.

RJ

[scooby]

I know they started barging the smolt past the turns for the cowlitz smolts. we should see next year, I think, if it improves things. I am not for sure when they started doing this.

Same thing with the harbor seals and sea lions. these guys don't have any natural predators to control their population.

[steelyhornhntr]

You guys are making alot of sense now!! I've argued for years that it is B.S. that we won't manage predators. I would have no problem at all using my very own guns and ammo to help correct the predator inbalance... Matter of fact some would say that I do a commendable job on the land predators so I'd take it as a personal challange to whip alittle butt on the water dwelling creatures!! Where do I sign up???

[wak'm&stak'm]

Just to play the devil advicant for a minute.....RJ your a predator also would you like steelyhornhunter shooting at you becuase you eat stuff. .....OH I have an idea..hmmm...why dont you TRY and shoot them with your new bow. Hee Hee

[RJ]

I'm thinking a midnight raid on the vermins
nothing like the smell of burnt bird.

[Oakie Drifter]

Just a note to say that Killer whales are the natural predators of seals and sea lions. We need more Killer whales! Lets bring Keiko back!!!

[RJ]

I just got done putting together my salmon
enhanser. one cheap 22lr a brick of sub sonic
ammo and I have to say it's sooooooo Quiet.

RJ

[Oakie Drifter]

Killer whales are the primary predator of marine pinipeds. Now, when I was stationed in Newport, working for ODF&W, I was fortunate enough to observe killer whales in the bay throwing them up in the air and eating sea lions. Of course the tourists had fits when they were eating with a bay view....ha ha ha!!!! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[RJ]

drifter I know these Questions have been brought up before but what do you think our chances would be of managing these predators
if the state had control.

[wak'm&stak'm]

Honestly I think you don't have a snow balls chance in hell of changing anything. Just for chits and giggles go down on the bay front and kill a sea gull then get on the soap box and say "This is just the start, I propose shooting 10,000 more".
Do you really think that a State that shut down most of it,s salmon hatcheries really cares, It is all money and no common sence.

[Mike H]

wak'm&stak'm,

You ask if we really think that a State that shut down most of it's salmon hatcheries really cares? YES! That's exactly why the state (Oregon) is begenning to close down it's hatcheries.... because they care for the salmon!

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble but hatchery salmon/steelhead are JUST AS HARMFUL to wild salmon/steelhead as those feathered and furry beasts we've grown to hate.

You can't blame the state for not responding to the seal problem. It's completely out of the state's hands. The Mariene Mammal Act is a federaly created monster.

Mike H

[Ramstrong]

Actually this far down south the primay predator would be Great White Sharks, but man seems to have a fear of them so they are presently being overfished just like the Salmon. So there's not much at the top of the pyramid a lot in the middle, and then not much again at the bottom. Funny how it goes isn't it.

[Fishbulb]

If the state had complete control there would absolutely be control (not eradication) of these populations. The hold up is that the Feds have the control. We just seem to be too far removed from the entire US. The rest of the country (and the Feds are bowing to their wishes) just sees these cute little creatures that have been oh so mistreated by mankind and can't bear to see leathal methods used on them. I think salmon are cute too! I don't know how we can get control back (legal control that is).

[wak'm&stak'm]

I have helped gillnet live chinook for the state the last to years in the Big Elk, they are then taken to Salmon river and raised. Then they will be released as fin clipped fish from OrAqua in southbeach. This is the fourth year for this.....NOW.....Mikey, are these hatchery fish harmful? Heck NO they aren't they are genetical wild fish, Now why don't they do that everywhere....well they do in other states to a lot greater extent.
I will give you this, the old OrAqua fish that were raised in warm water and force fed were a very low grade of fish. As soft as carp but silver.
20 years ago the ports were buzzing and the fish plants were plugged and they were not all wild fish. You can not make this state like it was before man was here, but we can be smarter than the past.

[Deleted User]

Remember that Killer Whales eat salmon too Bev, not just the peds. As for the Fed control issue, with ESA empowerment, they do control the salmon predator issue by protecting the now overpopulation. I think they might not want to tangle with the PETA's? But I have a thought. The Native American Treaty Tribes seem to control the Federal government when it comes to fish and animals in the Northwest. Didn't their ancestors take seals and birds too. Simple, find a market for seal and cormorant meat (maybe overseas) and the Indians could kill off pretty much as many as they wanted and take care of the salmon predation issue. So there would be more harvestable fish to split EVENLY between the tribes and sporties. Great solution if the Feds would just quit giving them 80% and us 20%. - RT

[wak'm&stak'm]

Right on RT. They we will all be happy.