I know there's a lot of harping about seals on this site (pun intended), but had to bring it up again in light of this article from MSNBC about sea lions being shot on the west coast. Clearly, people whose livelihoods are based on fishing (not to mention recreational) are going to extremes out of frustration (we saw this on the Cape last year).

'Unprecedented' killings of protected sea lions; fishermen suspected (http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/05/12070170-unprecedented-killings-of-protected-sea-lions-fishermen-suspected?lite)

I understand that many factors contribute to the poor salmon spawn out west and the disappearance of many fish species here in the east, but there is no question that seals/sea lions are a major reason many species are struggling to recover.

Why is there no political will to manage these animals the way other over-abundant animals (e.g., deer) are managed when more threatened species are in trouble? How can we get our politicians to stand up and say (for example) "If you really care about cod stocks, the seal populations must be culled." What's it going to take? When are the self-proclaimed environmentalists going to realize that you can't manage by individual species....you can't eat your cod and have your seals too! It's all interconnected.

As a side note, and I'll post it if I can find it, I did some calculations that show that in Massachusetts waters alone, seals consume more fish than the entire population of humans in the state....and it's not even close.

Had to vent. :fury:

Agreed, although the general public see's these animal as very cute and lovable, I doubt many of them know or realize how many fish these things consume.
Everything, especially now a day's should have a checks & balance, we have quotas and limit's as fisherman, and hunters as well, for all sorts of species, why can't the seals & sea lions be controlled in a similar fashion.
I understand that bringing your family to the beach one day, and seeing the water flowing red, as seals are culled, isn't very good public PR.
Go about it another way, where the actual culling taking place is far from the public's eye, and I think we have a potential win-win, for everyone, including the seals.

because they trained them to do tricks at seaworld

When I lived in San Diego and fished on the head boats it was almost a daily occurence that the captain would start shooting a mini 14 at any sea lion that approached the boat. This was in mexican waters.. Inside US waters they would lob seal bombs which were pretty much useless. They need to cull atleast 3000-5000 sea lions to make a dent in the population. It was ridiculous. You would hook up on a yellowtail and a big knot head would come in and rip it in half.

Why is there no political will to manage these animals the way other over-abundant animals (e.g., deer) are managed when more threatened species are in trouble? How can we get our politicians to stand up and say (for example) "If you really care about cod stocks, the seal populations must be culled." What's it going to take? When are the self-proclaimed environmentalists going to realize that you can't manage by individual species....you can't eat your cod and have your seals too! It's all interconnected.
There's no political will because it'd be too messy for them PR-wise to do so. Canada is dealing with exactly this problem right now. A recent study demonstrated a very close relation to the explosion of seals in Nova Scotia and the decimated cod stocks.

Seals blamed for lack of cod recovery - Nova Scotia - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/01/16/ns-seal-cod-research.html)

They want to cull out 70% or the seal population. While that sounds like an extreme amount, consider that the seal population went from about 3,000 in the 1970s to about 300,000 - "a doubling of the population every seven years." Their politicians are facing *massive* push back by the treehuggers and liberals.

Bet the treehuggers also don't know that the delicious cod they eat is infested with parasitic worms due to their cute, cuddly seals.


Just think of the massive outcry and backlash the plover-lovers got when they wanted to poison the crows... and crows aren't cute.

Crows are totally Cute.... and i ought to know!
they are the smartest bird in the world too

seals suck wipe them out

Crows are totally Cute.... and i ought to know!
they are the smartest bird in the world too

seals suck wipe them out
Einstein was a pretty smart guy... but boy was he an ugly mofo... :grins:

The intelligence of crows is definitely amazing.

This is what needs to happen locally:

Seal hunting pictures. - Refuge Forums (http://refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=762722)

Incredible Dogs!!!

Warning graphic hunting photos that might not be suitable for everyone

This is what needs to happen locally:

Seal hunting pictures. - Refuge Forums (http://refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=762722)

Incredible Dogs!!!

Warning graphic hunting photos that might not be suitable for everyone
For every bass or blue stolen from me by a seal this season, I'll have to think of these pictures as some comfort. At least there's someone, somewhere able to kill the overpopulating bastards.

This is what needs to happen locally:

Seal hunting pictures. - Refuge Forums (http://refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=762722)

Incredible Dogs!!!

Warning graphic hunting photos that might not be suitable for everyone

Mike J. made my day. :uhuh:

KA-POW

No need to shoot them. Just do a friendly exchange with the Gold Coast in Australia for some Great Whites. We could get the sharks student visas and say they're just here studying abroad!

No need to shoot them. Just do a friendly exchange with the Gold Coast in Australia for some Great Whites. We could get the sharks student visas and say they're just here studying abroad!

thats probally gonna happen on its own....lots of white sharks around the cape in the summer lately. natural cycle food supply goes up predator population increases.

thats probally gonna happen on its own....lots of white sharks around the cape in the summer lately. natural cycle food supply goes up predator population increases.
I've said it before... there aren't enough white sharks to make a noticeable dent on the seals. And if there were enough sharks, the fruit loops would be calling for a culling of the sharks.

I believe seal farts cause Global Warming!

"Save a Pacific Islanded from drowning, club a seal.":smash:

The introduction of Polar Bears to Cape Cod would also help with the seal and tourist populations.

Just suggessting....

I believe seal farts cause Global Warming!

"Save a Pacific Islanded from drowning, club a seal.":smash:

The introduction of Polar Bears to Cape Cod would also help with the seal and tourist populations.

Just suggessting....

Maybe the black bear will adapt and learn how to catch seals. He's been out to Race point. I'm sure he smells them.

Maybe someone should shoot one and leave it in the are where the bear was last sighted. Give him some ideas.....