The court said the government failed to meet the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and cannot justify killing protected pinnipeds. The sea lion predation of .04 to 4.2 percent of the spring salmon run at the Bonneville Dam could not be considered a “significant negative impact” when the same agencies allow fisherman to take up to 17 percent of the returning fish.

“This is a huge victory for sea lions and salmon. We are relieved to see an end to the unethical, politically motivated killing of native, protected sea lions,” said IDA’s Northwest Director Matt Rossell. “We hope these agencies will now address the human-caused threats to salmon recovery – over-fishing, introduction of non-native fish, dams and habitat destruction.”

Since the lethal removal program began in 2008, IDA and the SLDB have worked to protect the sea lions in the Columbia River and hold agencies accountable to the public for this controversial program. Activists organized dozens of demonstrations, met with government officials, and rallied on the steps of the Oregon capital. IDA fought a court battle to free one sea lion named “Willy,” who was misidentified by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and wrongfully removed from the river.

“I’m overjoyed at the court’s ruling,” said Bethanie O’Driscoll, one of the plaintiffs and grassroots organizer for SLDB. “Although we have truth on our side, the lawsuit languished in court while a small grassroots group fought against all the resources of the government and fishing industry. It’s been a hard fight, but anyone who has ever looked into the eyes of a sea lion will understand why it was worth it.”

During the 2010 spring salmon season, IDA and SLDB launched a volunteer-based vigil near the Bonneville Dam to track government trapping and killing, and educate the public and fishermen. An RV mobile monitoring vehicle called the “Sea Wolf” kept a round the clock watch over the sea lions.

“I’m not going to miss getting up every morning at 5:00 a.m., and I’m thrilled the sea lions will be safe from harm,” said Julie Farris, SLDB volunteer who spent months on site at the dam. “Our efforts to educate folks really paid off and we made inroads with people who had thought of the sea lions as a nuisance. These gregarious, intelligent sea lions are a part of the river ecosystem. They belong here as much as the salmon.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Matt Rossell, matt@idausa.org, 503-890-5151

What:    Delegation of three watchdog organizations confront wildlife officials
When:   March 10, 2010, 12:00 noon
Where:  Bonneville Dam, Oregon side visitor center (off I 84, 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon)

“Ironically, the fishing quota has been raised every year since this sea lion killing program was introduced – from nine percent in 2007, to 12 percent in 2008, to 13 percent in 2009 to 16 percent this year,” says Julie Farris of the Sea Lion Defense Brigade. “The sea lions are only having a marginal impact, observed at the dam eating only a few of the spring Chinook run. If government agencies were using sound science, they wouldn’t be spending millions of dollars killing these intelligent and sociable creatures, they would cap fishing quotas and allow those extra fish to spawn to help the species recover.”

Rick Hargrave, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) spokesperson, reported that seven sea lions were trapped yesterday morning, five of whom he identified as “C417, C926, B194, B258,and B267“ – sea lions listed on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) kill authority letter. The two animals with a “C”  in their number are sea lions identified by a number burned across their backs, after having been previously trapped and branded in the Columbia River. However, the three “B” animals have only been identified by so-called physical characteristics, and are not branded. According to Hargrave, these five were scheduled to be killed by the end of yesterday.

“We remain highly skeptical these agencies can correctly identify individual sea lions as required by law,” said IDA’s Matt Rossell, who’s organization was a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against ODFW on behalf of a sea lion named “Willy” or “C657.” IDA is appealing the case, maintaining Willy was misidentified and removed from the river last year without proper authority based on government records submitted with the suit. “It is ridiculous to believe the Army Corps’ claim that they can individually identify over 250 unbranded sea lions when they rely on seasonally hired student observers, standing on shore or on the dam, to recognize physical characteristics of sea lions from far away in the river as they surface momentarily with a fish in their mouth and then disappear under water seconds later.”

These pinnipeds are otherwise protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, except for this five-year special exemption approved by NOAA through Section 120 of the Act that allows for killing individual sea lions if they are proven to be causing a “significant impact” on endangered species. That questionable impact has been the subject of a federal lawsuit currently under appeal in the 9th circuit court, and the program has been swimming in controversy since the inception, with multiple incidents of malfunctioning traps, and seven sea lions who have died unintentionally in state custody only adding to the growing public criticism.

“The sea lion killing program is a failure, and should be ended immediately,” according to Justin Kay of the Portland Animal Defense League. “Regardless of size of the salmon run, or the number of sea lions they remove from the river, the sea lions eat roughly the same number of fish each year below the dam – a tiny fraction – this year’s estimate is about one percent of the overall run. 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 10, 2010

Contacts: Matt Rossell, In Defense of Animals (IDA), 503-890-5151 matt@idausa.org; Julie Farris, Sea Lion Defense Brigade, 971-344-2862

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