Unique Quality Products
Sea Lions Shouldn't Be Killed For Man-Made Mistakes!
Final signature count: 0
0 signatures toward our 30,000 goal
Sponsor: The Rainforest Site
Killing one protected species to save another shouldn't be considered a solution!
The best laid plans can often have unintended consequences. When Bonneville Dam was built on the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington in the 1930’s, the inclusion of fish ladders was revolutionary [1], and a direct reaction to the tens of thousands that depended on the salmon industry. The need to keep the waterways open for the millions of salmon, steelhead, and other fish that travel to spawn every spring became even more vital as many of the fish that use the ladders were placed on the endangered species list.
In concept, the plan is sound, and has helped raise the fish population over the years [2]. Now the Bonneville Dam is facing a new problem that is placing the delicate fish population in grave danger: sea lions.
The Bonneville Dam fish ladders have become a buffet for sea lions migrating to the warmer California waters. Over the past few years, the salmon survival rate has continued to drop [2]. In 2012 the survival rate was 82 percent. Just two short years later, the survival rate dropped to 55 percent.
Currently, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is working to protect the fish population by culling sea lions [3]. Although they claim killing the sea lions is a last resort, nearly 40 have been killed in the first 6 months of 2017. What is most galling is that the sea lions are also federally protected [4], giving the Department of Fish and Wildlife the choice between killing an endangered species, or allowing an endangered species to be killed.
This problem is entirely man-made. Without the dam and the fish ladder, the salmon wouldn’t be such easy targets for the sea lions. Instead of killing off sea lions to solve a human made problem, The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife needs to concentrate on humane, non-lethal methods like trapping and relocating. Trading the lives of one protected species for another is a battle that will never have a winner.
Tell the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to work on humane solutions that will benefit both the sea lions and the salmon!