Stop the "hazing" of sea lions

Why this is important

In 2011 the Oregon Legislature authorised a program by which they make use of "non-lethal" hazing methods in order to scare sea lions away from fish ladders at Willamette Falls near Oregon City.

Included in these "non-lethal" methods is the firing of shotguns over the sea lions with specifically designed shells that will explode underwater, thus causing potential damage to the hearing of the animals as well as disturbing the natural tranquility of the environment.

The program also has federal authorization for the lethal removal of sea lions from the Columbia River. Their crime? Eating salmon and steelhead.

Research has shown sea lions consume 2.4% of these fish while commercial fishing operations take in excess of 17%

Furthermore, the hazing techniques as employed at Bonneville Dam (also on the Columbia River) have shown no proven results. If anything, the killing of these animals is in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a piece of legislation under which sea lions are supposedly protected.

According to the Humane Society of the United States "killing sea lions will do little more than waste their lives with no appreciable benefit to the fish."

Unless we take a stand, this lethal take program will continue unabated until 2016. We therefore urge you to not only sign the petition but also to contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife by sending an e-mail to odfw.info@state.or.us

You can also contact the ODFW Commission (who are responsible for the policies of the ODFW) odfw.commission@coho2.dfw.state.or.us

We thank you for your support.

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Posted February 16, 2013

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The Seals of nam The Seals of N. South Africa

To be delivered to:

Roy Elicker, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife

SIGN THIS PETITION

We call upon Roy Elicker, Director of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to reverse the decision to make use of both lethal and non lethal methods regarding sea lions at Willamette Falls. The decline in fish stocks should not be laid squarely on the sea lions who account for less than 4% of fish loss. A variety of factors, including commercial fishing operations, pollution, global warming and habitat loss are all factors that need to be accounted for. In 2005 the NMFS found that the annual take of up to 17% of salmon by fishermen had only “minimal adverse effects” on stocks in the Columbia River. We therefore feel that there is no need for any such hazing or killing of sea lions. Rather, these animals should be afforded the full benefits provided to them under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. Yours sincerely

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