Posts Tagged ‘ sea lions ’

Court Stops Killing of Sea Lions At Bonneville Dam

November 23, 2010
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Courtesy ODFW

Pull out the traps – a federal appeals court says there won’t be any more killing of sea lions at Bonneville Dam.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a stop to the killing saying that wildlife officials didn’t really explain how killing sea lions is supposed to help salmon and steelhead.

At first look, the answer to that question seems obvious. Bonneville Dam is a big bottleneck for salmon working their way upstream to spawn. It forces them into a small area and makes them easy pickings for California and Steller sea lions.

But the legal standard appears to require a “significant negative impact” and the court says federal and state wildlife officials didn’t prove that’s what was happening.

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House Speaker Favors Trapping, Killing Sea Lions

May 4, 2010
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Oregon’s House Speaker Dave Hunt wants wildlife officials to trap and kill sea lions that are hanging out at Willamette Falls near Oregon City. It’s similar to what’s going on at Bonneville Dam. The sea lions have figured out that this spot, on the Willamette River, is a great location for easy pickings of salmon and other fish. They’re even stealing fish off the lines of fishermen. Hunt held a public meeting Monday night to help fishermen vent their frustrations.

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Sea Lion Trapping At Bonneville Dam: How’s That Working Out?

November 6, 2009
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Courtesy ODFW

Courtesy ODFW

The controversial program to trap and remove sea lions at Bonneville Dam just might be doing what it’s supposed to do, getting rid of troublesome sea lions and reducing the numbers of salmon they eat.

After two years, it’s still too early to draw firm conclusions. But after looking at the latest report by the Army Corps of Engineers, here’s what they found.

There are fewer sea lions at the dam.

In 2009, wildlife officials counted 80 sea lions at Bonneville. This is one of the lowest numbers on record and down about 20% from last year. California sea lion numbers are down dramatically, but Steller sea lions numbers are up some.

They’re still eating lots of salmon.

A record amount in fact. The sea lions ate nearly 4,500 salmon from January through May. That may be due to one of the largest salmon runs in decades. Percentage wise, the sea lions ate 2.4% of the salmon trying to get over the dam, that’s slightly down from last year.

Hazing them doesn’t appear to work.

There are two main methods of hazing, scaring them with noisemakers and spraying them with hoses. The report says the noisemakers are pretty much worthless (although it said so in much nicer language) and the hose hazing only works temporarily. When the hazing stops, the sea lions return.

They’re targeting the worst of the bunch.

Wildlife officials have what you might call a “hit list” of sea lions, ones that spend the longest amount of time at the dam and eat the most salmon. This targeted approach appears to be working. The 25 sea lions that were captured and removed in 2008 and 2009 were indeed among the group that stayed the longest and ate the most. The report estimates removing them spared about 1,000 salmon.

Things should improve next year.

The Corps recommends continuing the program. It predicts another sharp drop in California sea lions in 2010 and as a result, fewer salmon will be eaten.

The trapping program is controversial with some parts of the environmental community because, quite often, the sea lions are killed. In 2009 for example, 20 sea lions were captured. While six were tagged and released, and four went to zoos or aquariums, ten of the sea lions were euthanized by wildlife officials. Medical tests on the animals determined they had health conditions that didn’t allow them to be placed in captive programs.

While sea lions haven’t exactly been strangers to Bonneville Dam, it wasn’t until 2001 and 2002 that they began to show up in large numbers. The dam acts as a bottleneck for endangered salmon, creating a large pool of fish for hungry sea lions.

Bonneville Sea Lions Outsmarting Wildlife Officials

May 8, 2009
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Two months into the sea lion trapping program at Bonneville Dam and guess what? The sea lions have figured out the game.

As the Columbian notes this morning, three weeks have gone by without any sea lions being captured. Brian Gorman with NOAA Fisheries tells the paper officials aren’t sure if the animals have become trap shy. But the latest report on the Army Corps of Engineers website says the sea lions have started using a concrete pad to haul out instead of using the traps.

Courtesy Oregon Fish And Wildlife

Courtesy Oregon Fish And Wildlife

The Columbian also reports that Oregon Fish and Wildlife has ruled out shooting the sea lions, at least for this year.

Since the trapping program began March 11, 15 sea lions have been captured. Four were released, four were relocated to an aquarium and a zoo, and the remaining seven were put down.

Officials say the numbers of California sea lions hanging out at Bonneville Dam are down from previous years, probably because the most troublesome predators have been removed. The numbers of Steller sea lions are up.

State and federal officials received permission to trap and possibly kill the sea lions because they’re eating large numbers of salmon trying to get over the Bonneville Dam. The Columbian says they got nearly 3% of the salmon at the dam last year.

And if you have any doubts about how smart these guys are, a few years ago one of the sea lions figured out how to get past the dam by hitching a ride on barges going through the locks.

Three More Bonneville Sea Lions Euthanized

April 3, 2009
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Wildlife officials put down three more of the sea lions that were captured this week at Bonneville Dam. Oregon Fish and Wildlife says they all had health problems that prevented them from being placed in zoo or aquariums.

Of the eight sea lions trapped on Wednesday:

  • 4 were euthanized. 3 had contagious viral lesions and the fourth had other unnamed health problems.
  • 2 were released.
  • 1 will be transported to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma and will eventually go to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.
  • 1 has undergone a health check and officials are waiting for lab results to come back.
Courtesy ODFW

Courtesy ODFW

In recent years, a growing number of sea lions have been gathering at Bonneville Dam for the spring salmon run. They come because the pickings are easy. Salmon are forced into a relatively small area as they make their way through the dam’s fish passages. In 2007, it’s estimated the sea lions got 4% of the salmon.

At first, wildlife officials tried to scare off the sea lions using noisemakers and water cannons. But when that didn’t work, they got federal permission to begin the trapping program. They’re allowed to take, and possibly kill, about 80 sea lions. But they’re focusing on capturing about 70 sea lions that are heavy predators of salmon.

Fourth Bonneville Sea Lion Killed, Five Captured

April 3, 2009
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One of the eight sea lions trapped at the Bonneville Dam this week has been euthanized. That brings the total number of sea lions killed this year by wildlife officials, to four.

Courtesy ODFW

Courtesy ODFW

Oregon Fish and Wildlife says the sea lion couldn’t be placed in a zoo or aquarium because it has contagious viral lesions, which is the same reason it says put down the three other sea lions.

Meanwhile, two of the remaining six sea lions were branded and released. One has passed a health exam and the remaining four are being examined today.

Wildlife officials have federal permission to trap and kill up to 80 sea lions that heavy predators of salmon at Bonneville Dam.