Sea Lions Shot Dead On Columbia River

(AP)  Six federally protected sea lions were apparently shot to death on the Columbia River as they lay in open traps put out to ensnare the animals. State and federal authorities are investigating.

The discovery came one day after three elephant seals were found shot to death at a breeding ground in central California.

On Sunday, the carcasses of four California sea lions and two Steller sea lions were found below the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River on the border of Oregon and Washington.

The six animals found dead Sunday appear to have been shot by somebody on the Washington side during the night, said Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Two closed cages each contained the carcasses of two California sea lions and one Steller sea lion, he said.

Necropsies were planned for all the animals, and the area was being treated as a crime scene by state and federal agencies, Gorman said.

Investigators will try to determine whether there is any link between the animals killed Sunday on the Columbia River and the elephant seals killed Saturday near San Simeon in California, Gorman said.

Washington and Oregon have been granted federal authorization to capture or kill as many as 85 sea lions a year for five years at the base of the dam, where they feed on endangered salmon headed upriver to spawn.

Fishermen and American Indian tribes have pushed to protect the salmon and remove the sea lions, by lethal force if necessary, forcing a delicate balancing act by the federal government.

Seven California sea lions were trapped on the Columbia River starting April 24 after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved their capture. One died during a medical inspection before being transferred to a marine amusement park.

The Humane Society of the United States has gone to court to challenge the authorization, with another hearing set for May 8. Until a judge rules, no animals may be legally killed.

Now, as authorities investigate the dead sea lions, all trapping will also be suspended, said Rick Hargrave, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife who was at the scene Sunday.

"We're really shocked," said Sharon Young, a Humane Society spokeswoman, who learned about the sea lion deaths from a reporter.

"We're a nation of laws, and we should expect people to abide by them," Young said.

[acolton1]

The Humane Society of the United States, Sharon Young and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are all IDIOTS.

DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT THE SALMON. IF YOU CANT DO YOUR JOB THEN FRACKIN QUIT AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OREGONIANS WHO WOULD LOVE TO GET RIDE OF THESE RIVER VARMETS.

[acolton1]

Debra Simons, Asheville,NC

Or Google "Bonneville Dam Sea Lion Problem" and read about that.

[acolton1]

Debra Simons, Asheville,NC

I grew up in OREGON and I do not want to kill everthing under the sun. Google "Cascade Locks Sea Lions" and read about that. It might change your mind. Sea Lions have been proteted for over 30 years and there population is has exploded. If you go over to the Oregon, Washington coast you can count thousands and thousands of them out on the rocks. The Sea Lion population needs to be controled just like the deer population.

[acolton1]

I grew up in Oregon and Sea Lions Belong in the SEA or OCEAN and once they swim 100 miles up river to Bonneville Dam they are no longer SEA LIONS and should loose their protected status. Sharon Young you are an IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT THE SALMON. Whats wrong with Sea Lions Steaks, smoked jerkey and Sea Lion Meat Treats for the Dog. Sharon Young you are not qualified to have your job because you are not protecting the Salmon your a frackin Looser.

Shoot all Sea Lions in the Columbia River and Willamette River by Oregon City and the Falls. All Sea Lions by Bonneville Dam need to be shot and killed on asap.

[debrasimons]

all of you who advocate slaughtering of everything under the sun are so absolutely mindless as to be unreachable with anything such as compassion for other species than your own selfish, uselss existence.It is people who are ruining the Earth not sea lions and elephants...Debra Simons, Asheville,NC

[acolton1]

Here is the link then click on VIEW RESULTS

http://www.kgw.com/perl/common/surveys/display_full.pl?poll_id=18248&site=kgw&vaction=voting&thissite=kgw

[acolton1]

You want to see how jacked up the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is. go to Google and type in "Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife snowball the deer" and read what a bang up job they did last year. EVERBODY AT THE Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife need to be fired and do some house cleaning for the Snowball ISSUE. It made everbody in Oregon Mad as hell at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT THE SALMON AND SHOOT THE RIVER VARMETS.

[acolton1]

Bio Diesel out of Sea Lion Fat how much would a gallon of that cost ? FANTASTIC IDEA.

7 down 500 To GO. Keep up the good work.

[acolton1]

There are so many sea lions if you go to the Oregon Coast and look out on the rocks there are thousand and thousands of them. You cant trap them and relocate them because they will just swim back to where the easy food was. Google it Type in Cascade LOCKS Seattle and read how much of a pest they are.

Fantastic IDEA LloydBest1, Sea Lion steaks, jerkey, dog food and dog treats, stew meat and I BET YOU CAN MAKE BIO DIESEL OUT OF SEA LION FAT. A whold new industry can be started. KILL THE DAM SEA LIONS IN THE RIVER DO YOUR JOB OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILD LIFE AND Sharon Young you IDIOTS. Protect the Salmon and shoot these varmets by Bonneville Dam and by the falls in OREGON CITY. I am glad somebody shot these Sea Lions the deserve the 5000 dollar reward for doing something that needs to be done.

[acolton1]

I grew up in Oregon and have see this first hand.

First of all Sharon Young your an IDIOT its people like that talk and talk and the wild salmon will be extinct in 10 years. YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED FOR YOUR JOB. Sharon Young and the 9th Court do your JOB AND PROTECT THE SALMON.

When a "SEA" Lion leaves the OCEAN and swims up river it is no longer in the "SEA OR OCEAN" and sould loose its protection and should be SHOT. It''s a River Varmet and need to be killed on asap. How about Sea Lion steaks, jerkey, and I BET THAT SEA LION FAT will make good BIO DIESEL. IF ANYBODY wants to read what the Public is saying in Portland Oregon go to KGW.com, click on News and then Local News and at the bottom click on More Local news. SHOOT THE SEA LIONS IN THE RIVER AND SAVE THE SALMON. I am glad somebody finally took action and SHOT THESE PESTS.