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[nosey]

At one time the sea lions were the top of the marine food chain, we can replace them, but there are not enough salmon to go around if we plan on sharing with them, up untill the 1960's the fisheries would machine gun them in their breeding grounds, I personally think that was an excellent idea albeit a tad politically incorrect in todays' world. Seriously there has to be some sort of control, we are the alpha predator now and there is no room for an over population of sea lions and seals there are just not enough fish to go around any more there are way too many humans living here to ever think there is some sort of balance of nature still.

[wizard]

At one time the sea lions were the top of the marine food chain, we can replace them, but there are not enough salmon to go around if we plan on sharing with them, up untill the 1960's the fisheries would machine gun them in their breeding grounds, I personally think that was an excellent idea albeit a tad politically incorrect in todays' world. Seriously there has to be some sort of control, we are the alpha predator now and there is no room for an over population of sea lions and seals there are just not enough fish to go around any more there are way too many humans living here to ever think there is some sort of balance of nature still.

nosey, Orcas can eat 100 to 300 lbs of salmon every day and are the real apex predator in the ocean would you suggest we eliminate or control them as well?

[banx]

well machine guns for seals, might as well use depth charges for the orcas. could make for great whale watching tours.

[Tenz85]

Check this site out
https://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/killer-whale/diet-and-eating-habits

[TNAngler]

I'm not sure why you quoted me specifically... anyways.

Your comment is a classic example of fisherman using their first hand perspective/experiences and expanding them to a "large scale fact". We have all been guilty of it, including myself. An example of this is people (fisherman) saying things like "there are a lot of bucks this year" (based on their very insignificant personal sample size of a population). My point is that people should do some research on the topics they claim to have an answer to and not just suggest that their relatively unsubstantial experiences are the direct cause and effect.

Touching on your last sentence, you are actually required (for many commercial salmon fisheries) to record all your "released" fish (at sea observers aid in this assessment as well). Fisheries managers will then apply a mortality rate to those released fish and they are counted against your quota as if you had retained them. Fisherman would should and probably do consider this when fishing.

Required?  I guess it might make a difference that I was on a gill netter in Washington fishing right off Point Roberts.  No recording of "released" fish was required or heck, even asked for except for a couple times toward the end of when we had the boat and then it was just an estimate and once or twice a year.  There were no at sea observers for fish.  We had one come along once for birds though when there was a huge uproar about a certain type of diving bird that they thought was getting caught in nets and dying.

And it wasn't just my experience.  I was involved in many discussions with other fishermen on how to try and reduce the number of fish lost.  Guns were the top method, firecrackers to try and destroy their inner ear was another or at least scare them off.  There was not a fisherman out there that would mourn the loss of a seal.

[arimaBOATER]

Hate killing anything that's alive.
Maybe it will come to a point that harbour seal populations will be controlled.
Was just reading on the web today ( Vancouver Sun ) there's something like 40,000 seals in the Georgia Straight. Story told of 5% of what the seals ate was salmon.

[swimmingwiththefishes]

Hate killing anything that's alive.
Maybe it will come to a point that harbour seal populations will be controlled.
Was just reading on the web today ( Vancouver Sun ) there's something like 40,000 seals in the Georgia Straight. Story told of 5% of what the seals ate was salmon.

Yes. Good work coming out of the Pacific Salmon Foundation on this issue and part of the reason for my original post on this. Have a read.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/seals+blamed+drop+juvenile+salmon+stocks+strait+georgia+study/11673383/story.html?__lsa=e32e-7e5d

[troutbreath]

http://www.sealsandsealing.net/products.php?page=5&id=2&prod=1

[Dave]

Uh, have you taste tested this recipe
If so, please tell us how you rated it.

[troutbreath]

Like farmed salmon but without the Slice bitterness.  try it you'll like it

[Dave]

Like farmed salmon but without the Slice bitterness.  try it you'll like it

Think I'll pass

[ClayoquotKid]

I want a coat like our new Fisheries Minister's: https://twitter.com/HunterTootoo/status/689526835466649602/photo/1

And, a tie: https://twitter.com/DFO_NL/status/686560187231145984/photo/1

[swimmingwiththefishes]

What is funny about this topic is that those that angry about seals dying in ocean net pens have no problem with a seal cull.

What seals dying in ocean net pens? Kind of confused.Can you clarify?

[Dave]

What seals dying in ocean net pens? Kind of confused.Can you clarify?

A byproduct of having mesh pens holding farmed salmon is that they attract predators, like seals.  Occasionally they get caught in the mesh and die, like the many accidently caught by commercial fishermen that you never hear about. Or the ones shot by FN in the Fraser that you also don't hear about.

[RalphH]

Seals have more or less recovered to historical populations levels prior to extensive hunting and bounty programs intended to reduce their numbers. So did salmon numbers increase during the close to 100 years seal populations were driven to numbers far below historic levels? AFAIK they did not, quite the reverse.

Most seal/salmon predation issues are associated with human activity, the Albion Chinook Test Fishery being a case in point. Concentrated hatchery releases & returns that are bound to attract numbers of seals. Channelizing river estuaries and temporary and permanent structures that offer seals haul out and rest zones within salmon migration routes.  Maybe some of those thyings need to be redesigned or perhaps individual problem seals need to be shot much as COs shoot problem bears.

A broad cull which will be opposed by every environmental and animal advocacy group is bound to cause a political s_it storm.  Given that there is little or rational for it, the fishing and angling community that supports it will look foolish - something it is really good at and a habit it can't seem to shake. Better to be selective perhaps relying on FN harvests and selective culling of problem animals. Long term it would be best to design harbour structures & hatchery release patterns.