SEALS & FISH

[chukar-ridge-quest]

So I got sidetracked on the Photo post, sorry.  What do the people, that pay the people think? No matter what the state says, doesn't matter. It's  the FEDS that choose this, http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=mar1808a,://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/sealions/index.htm
You let me know, please read POST under (just a shot from AK). My own topic and I got side tracked.  I fish, I hunt and I contract with NMFS. I have my OP. Tell me yours.

[Dman]

 I went and read your other post to get your meaning. Sea lions are a problem only for the Columbia runs -yet they should be dealt with along with the seals that are impacting the salmon in Puget Sound. To my amazement, the one time I went to the Portland area I was crossing into Washington, looked over the roadside into the Coweeman River and there were at least two damn sea lions munching on fish! Since I was a kid, the seals have gone from something you'd almost never see in the Sound, right up to today, where when I go out next weekend, I can guarentee you I will not only see dozens, but they will follow my boat and if by some chance I get lucky enough to hook a fish it will be gone. I've written letters to DFW on this and spoke up about it on a committee I was a part of in the past locally and no one wants to buck the Federal protection issue. You are right, why is one Federally protected species more important that another? Right now the tribes can harvest ESA salmon, yet seals go untouched, here's an idea, have a tribal seal harvest? They shoot the damn whales, why not the seals?? 

 

[sisu]

Dman, here is another example like the wolf. The regulating bodies of all these fish and game laws should:
1. admit when there is an over abundance of a predator
2. once that admission is made then have a lottery of sportsmen that would want to harvest said critter.

Now that, in my humble opinion, is true game management and not bleeding heart PETA, SPCA, etc. "political-game" management. Besides the pelt of a sea lion is absolutely gorgeous.

One question though. When I was commercial fishing in Bristol Bay we used to have seal bombs on board the boat(M-80s). We'd toss them out at harbor seals approaching our nets while we were picking them. Some what effective...
Why doesn't the state of Washington and Oregon allow fishermen with salt water license to purchase a certain number of these explosive devices each season, maybe even requiring a short class in their use so idiots don't blow off a hand, blow up the boat, etc.?

[Dman]

 Now that would make too much sense!!

 Where ya been by the way?
I re-read my post, I meant to say -my only trip to Portland this year. I saw the sealions in the Coweeman just two months ago. There was a fishing report on Salmon U. just last week, two guys hooked five salmon in MA 11, lost two out of five to seals and the other three they had to wrestle for. The problem with having too many seals in Puget Sound is that the Sound does not have an abundance of other forage fish like the Coast does. Seals will go after salmon almost exclusively in the Sound because nearly the only other fish in any quantity are herring, or candlefish. Rockfish and True Cod are nearly non-existent in the lower Sound now, except for some little buggers few and far between. 

[PolarBear]

3 of my favorite south sound bottom fishing holes have been decimated by seals.  I use to be able to catch and release rockfish and lingcod by the bucket loads at these spots but I have fished them over a dozen times throughout the past few years without a single bite.  Getting skunked never happened before the seals came in.  We could fish for days and not see  single seal.  Today I took the family out on the boat.  From downtown Olympia, around Squaxin Island, up to the Hartseen Island bridge, around Steamboat Island and back to Oly we saw 48 seals!  What makes it worse is that there are no salmon running except local silvers and blackmouth.  In August and September when the returning kings and silvers are in the number of seal/sealions quadruple.  Getting rid of a bunch of seals/sealions will do much more to help the fish population than more restrictions on sport fishers.   

[Dman]

 Only 48??

 I forgot too, they have been getting into my crab traps and stealing both bait and crabs, you can see them submerge, bubbles around trap, pull up trap and everything is gone. Tough day when they are around.

[boneaddict]

Probably they won't allow that Sisu because some *censored* like me would shove an M-80 down a fishes throat, throw it out to the begging sealion to see what would happen.

 

[billythekidrock]

One question though. When I was commercial fishing in Bristol Bay we used to have seal bombs on board the boat(M-80s). We'd toss them out at harbor seals approaching our nets while we were picking them. Some what effective...
Why doesn't the state of Washington and Oregon allow fishermen with salt water license to purchase a certain number of these explosive devices each season, maybe even requiring a short class in their use so idiots don't blow off a hand, blow up the boat, etc.?

The commercial guys (and some private ) use them but they do not work very well.

[PolarBear]

Seal bombs can be your friend, especially wrapped in herring and lead shot.   

[chukar-ridge-quest]

BKR, that's true enough. Used to fish the BAY myself in the early '90s. That is still open water. Not like being below a dam, where the food is all stacked up. If I were in the McDonald's drive through and Subway had all you can eat for free, I'm going to Subway.  Point is, mammals need to be removed to save fish runs that will go extinct. Bombs along a net work. Wrapped in herring with a LEAD(COPPER)((Insert your bullet of choice here))SHOT backer.