Seal Up NF Lewis

[Fish Hawg]

On my way home I seen a Sea lion up the lewis quite a ways. He/She was in the Turpens(sp) hole. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] Thier are no guls so it must not be after smelt.

[Fast Water]

Yesterday we saw two sea lions upstream from the RR bridge.

We marked quite a few fish. I'm sure there is plenty to eat there. Probably chasing the spring salmon pilot run.


:smile:

[Fish Hawg]

Last wek I saw two above the falls, today he/she is farther up. He/She is heading to the hatchery :grin:

[ 01-26-2004, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Fish Hawg ]

[Fishfaced]

<There ought to be some legal way to> take care of that problem.

[ 01-26-2004, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

[deep set]

FishFaced:

Remember the entire ecosystem is a balance. I don't care for seals eating our fish in the rivers either, but we have to manage and balance all the factors that play on overall ocean health. I don't think <an illegal action> is going to solve the perceived problem.

[ 01-26-2004, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

[SPAZZ]

:shocked: :shocked: That sucks!!!!!!! I dont know whats worse, the gill netters or the sea lions. I've lost fish to sea lions and it realy made me mad. Oh well I gues thats fishin.

[Fishfaced]

Deep set; Go grab another tree!

[skein]

We all know this is an emotionally charged issue, and we've been down this same road numerous times.

Discuss it, but don't let it degenerate into name-calling or advocating illegal acts.

Thanks.

Skein

[Fishfaced]

I know,, I know... Sorry; Deep Set! NHF

[periwinkle]

Sea Lions SUCK!!! Herschel destroyed a whole steelie run at the Ballard Locks. (Sammamish SH

We need to bring some Alaskan Natives down here to contol the exploding population of those 'buggers'!

[Boedy]

Originally posted by deep set:
FishFaced:

Remember the entire ecosystem is a balance. I don't care for seals eating our fish in the rivers either, but we have to manage and balance all the factors that play on overall ocean health. I don't think <an illegal action> is going to solve the perceived problem.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">The problem is that there is nothing to balance the seal population anymore, if there ever was. Nothing to stop them from destroying more Steelhead runs other then high speed lead poisoning IMNSHO.( don’t break the law) What’s so wrong with taking a few out that prove to be a problem anyway? Dumb short sighted marine mammal act? Surly the Sea Lion population can take it as there is no shortage of the things. How can you have a balance when those things are out there with nothing to counter their population?

[Lepper]

Since I eat fish.. I figure there should be one seal removed from the earth because I eat it's fish..

there for the balance is still there!

[deep set]

Fish Faced adn Boedy:

I actually got a good laugh from the tree hugger comment. I am by no means a tree hugger, but do try to take everything into consideration when I make a statement about something.

Some interesting points were made...
Do we have anything in place to keep sea lion populations in place? Do we need to reinstate them yet? Do sea lions/seals actually help the runs of fish?

Think about it, a sea lion/seal eats OTHER fish and creatures that feed on Salmon Smolts. They also eat fish they can catch, in theory these are the WEAKEST of the returning runs and are potentially a benefit to have removed form the gene pool. How many of the fish they eat are actually hatchery fish?

All I am saying is there are a lot of factors that go into creating a stable ecosystem to support the growth of our fisheries. Seal populations is only one small piece...logging, urban growth boundires, oceanic preservation and dumping policies, etc... it's all connected.

Now do I think seal and sea lion populations are back t oa level wher they should no longer roam free, unchecked. I am no expert, but it very well could be time to open season again. But if that decision is made it needs to be done correctly and for the right reason.

Just my thoughts. ANd I hate it just as much as you when I see one in the river or have on tear a fish off my line in the bay. Oh well.

[Ragnar]

Please don't kick me out of the Good'ole Boys Club for this (as if I could give a flippity floppity).
I'm from the country myself where wood is good and we hunt to kill/kill to hunt.
We are hunters/gather types that understand the natural world.
But here's what I DON'T understand.......

Why don't we look at ourself as PART of the food chain? You certainly are when you hike into the bush in Alaska or go for a swim in the ocean...
In find it interesting that man feels a need to erradicate or somehow control nature to do our bidding. We are living creatures trying to survive just as seals and sealions are.
Hey man believe me. I don't like it either, I've had these pinepeds take my fish as well.
The question should be asked though. "Will I die of starvation if I don't get to eat this fish?" As I sit comfortably in the safety of my cushy boat with the propane heater going.
Or "can I open up a steaming cup of Jack-sqwat and still have a nice day out on the River?" Knowing full well, that I have something the freezer or at the grocery store.
I do agree there needs to be some balance, but not just with these seals and sea lions.
Perhaps we should look at ourselves and see if we can first find some balance with humans first. Maybe limit the amount of off-spring, indulgence and excess we're so famous for. Don't think for a second that there is balance between us and the natural world.
We've already outlawed Natural Selection. We, as a race have gotten really out of touch with this.
To get a little more in depth. Perhaps we should try to increase the amount of Great Whites and other large sharks that feed on the marine mammals in the area? Oh, there we go again with the whole dominant preditor/competition/food chain thing.
What we do to the earth (and everything on/in it) we do to ourselves.
We've made the mess. Now we will sleep in it.
This far from a perfect World anymore folks.
Hmmmmm............
There's a thinker.
I'm done with this.
Ragnar

[Perfect Drift]

Oh a good note for seals, some can be learned from them, watch where they fish and follow them. Worked for me !!