Cascade Locks, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has reported the first sea lion trap and kill of the season. Named “Lionel” by students from Redland Elementary School, but known to wildlife agencies by the brand “C653,” the sea lion was trapped yesterday morning and killed by lethal injection. In Defense of Animals (IDA) and the Sea Lion Defense Brigade will hold a vocal demonstration today at noon to protest the government decision to trap and kill these protected pinnipeds.

What:    Demonstration opposing state-sanctioned sea lion killing season
When:   March 4, 2009, 12:00 noon
Where:  Bonneville Dam, Washington side visitor center (off WA HY 14)

Sixty-four California sea lions are listed on the government’s kill authority letter and are at risk of being trapped or shot by wildlife officials. IDA and the Sea Lion Defense Brigade are skeptical about the Oregon and Washington state wildlife agencies’ ability to correctly identify and humanely handle targeted sea lions.

Protesters will be chanting and carrying signs with messages such as, “Killing Sea Lions Will Not Save the Salmon” and “Don’t Scapegoat Sea Lions.” Activists will confront wildlife officials responsible for the lethal removal of the protected sea lions, to voice concerns and ask questions about a plan that is misguided, has not met the criteria set forth in Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, fails to accurately identify specific sea lions as required by law, and will do nothing to resolve issues that endanger salmon populations.

“Fishing quotas for salmon this year were raised to 16 percent from last year’s 13 percent, while sea lions at the Bonneville Dam are being killed for eating what will likely be only about one percent of the 2010 spring run,” said Matt Rossell, Northwest Director of IDA. “These wildlife agencies are not making sound, biology-based decisions regarding salmon recovery. And the agencies’ track record has been abysmal, with multiple incidents of malfunctioning traps and seven sea lions who have died unintentionally in state custody.”

ODFW and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) claim that lethal measures are necessary in order to protect endangered salmon populations. However, according to the Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposal to kill sea lions at the Bonneville Dam, sea lions only eat a miniscule 0.4 to 4.2 percent of the 80,000 to 250,000 salmon and steelhead who spawn in the Columbia River’s spring run. In comparison, fisherman are permitted to take approximately 5 and 17 percent of the run – this year the total fishing quota is 16 percent of the run – while those same state agencies argue this incidental take by fisherman is “insignificant.”

“The sea lion killing program is a failure. Last years’ data shows new sea lions come in to replace the ones who are killed, like a wildlife carnival shooting gallery that makes no sense,” according to IDA’s Matt Rossell. “Regardless of size of the salmon run, or the number of sea lions they kill, the predation at the dam remains the same. Sea lions are being scapegoated, and killing them is not going to resolve the real issues facing salmon recovery – over-fishing, dams, introduced non-native fish, and habitat destruction.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 4, 2010

Contact: Matt Rossell, In Defense of Animals (IDA), 503-890-5151