Cry Me a River!

[alantani]

i just want everything to stay civil. 

[Shark Hunter]

There is one less in the Bay at Alcatraz. The little guy is having a Blast.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Tourists-record-great-white-shark-devouring-seal-6566229.php

[johndtuttle]

There is more to these issues than it always seems but the root has been man destroying habitat for Seals (development) and fish habitat (Dams and deforestation) or human harvesting for money.

Seals had populations in the millions to go with 10's of millions of Salmon...before seals were hunted and dams were built.

Its not the seals fault. Its our fault.

However, we are in a middle period where Seal populations are returning...along with GW Shark "predation events" on people as Seals return to habitat they previously were driven out of (shore of our state).

Unfortunately more people are going to be hurt by Seals (<<--more and more aggressive) or eaten or hurt by Sharks before this problem gets another "solution" that us fallible humans attempt.

Any animal that losses it's fear of humans is dangerous. Any dangerous animal should be destroyed when parasitizing humans or endangering them. Eventually (just like bears in Yosemite) some seals will be destroyed.

[swill88]

There is one less in the Bay at Alcatraz. The little guy is having a Blast.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Tourists-record-great-white-shark-devouring-seal-6566229.php

Who's going to sign up for the Alcatraz swim-to-shore?

[Steve-O]

There is one less in the Bay at Alcatraz. The little guy is having a Blast.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Tourists-record-great-white-shark-devouring-seal-6566229.php

Oh yea!  wasn't sure if "the little guy" reference was the seal, the shark or other....until I watched it...like the redhead said " that's the greatest thing I've seen in my life!"

My dealings with them is minimal and like anything else unpleasant in my life - I make lemonade and get on with it.

[STRIPER LOU]

I have to go along with you on this one Gary! Up in Cape Cod they really count on the summer tourism. The beaches are filthy with seals and excrement. Unfortunately the peoples businesses have nose dived!  The flounder and Stripped bass population is dwindling as these critters can eat 35 lbs of fish a day or more. The seals are all over Monomoy and can be seen chasing and eating Striped Bass all day long. I have a friend that lives up there and only a small number of great whites that show up to feed on these things make it into the news. There's more than they're willing to talk about. The last 5 or so years they have been showing up in the Race and when that happens the fishing is totally done. 
We're stuck with the situation and It's gonna get worse before it gets better!
Thanks for posting  ..  Lou

[bluefish69]

No one on here has said anything about the Cormorants. These darn birds eat their weight in Baby Flounder & other small fish on a daily basis. They can dive maybe 20' with no problem.

Mike

[Keta]

Now the numbers are too great for their natural habitat \.

that is just not true.

Unfortunately with NE Pacific sealions it is true.

[johndtuttle]

Now the numbers are too great for their natural habitat \.

that is just not true.

Unfortunately with NE Pacific sealions it is true.

Well, yes and no....

With warming Eastern Pacific waters this year then many marine animals are in extremis as food sources are not available (but the Tuna have been gorging on Red crabs) due to this rare event (El Nino). So sea lion pups have had a rough go of it this summer with many starving.

BUT, fundamentally, all populations of marine crittters were 10X higher before we arrived and started harvesting the Ocean for $$$$ or building dams for $$$$ to fuel urban development.

So if any marine animal is negatively affecting populations of its prey, it is only because we screwed the balance up.

[Keta]

Not as high of numbers as today and not as far upriver as Celilo Falls/Bonneville Dam or Willamette Falls.  The natives killed them as often as possible and used them back then, they are 100% protected now and are pounding threatened and endangered fish runs in the Pacific NW.  Our bay flounder have almost disappeared too.

Come to Oregon and visit Astoria, Newport or Portland and see for yourself.    Our harbor seals are also being harmed by the over abundance of sealions.  It's so bad that they have finally started allowing some sealions to be shot, but we need a 30%-50% reduction in sealions.  Research "Hershel" and Ballard Locks in WA.

[RowdyW]

really?  What was the sealion population in 1100?

[/quote]                                                                                                                                             Where did you get a certified report from 1100.  Was that BC or AD ?

[Tightlines667]

Now the numbers are too great for their natural habitat \.

that is just not true.

Unfortunately with NE Pacific sealions it is true.

really?  What was the sealion population in 1100?

Not a reliable baseline figure.  Conditions have changed.

Here's a good status summary...

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41666/0

and an excerpt..

"Exploitation during the 19th and 20th centuries caused population reductions. The distribution range has not changed since the exploitation era but population numbers have increased mainly in California where the population estimate is around 238,000. The population in Mexico occupies both side of the Baja California Peninsula: the west coast has an estimated population of 75,000 – 87,000, whereas the Gulf of California population is near 30,000. The total population of California sea lions is therefore around 355,000 individuals. The population in California is reaching carrying capacity. Some colonies in the Central Gulf of California have declined by approximately 35% in the last 15 years."