New group calls for seal and sea lion cull on B.C.’s coast

[IronNoggin]

Members of the Tsawwassen First Nation are teaming up with commercial and sport-fishers on B.C.’s coast to call on the new federal fisheries minister to allow a West Coast seal and sea lion harvest. The group, called the Pacific Balance Pinnipeds Society, says that growing populations of seals and sea lions endangers future salmon populations.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4344527/n...cull-bc-coast/

Of course the Global reporter got the population numbers all wrong, and the anti's at Ocean Wise have started their bleating already.
But, this is an initiative that is long overdue IMHO, and I will support it any and every way I can...

Cheers,
Nog

[Dewey Cox]

I’d like to join the club

[BuckCuller]

They just need to wing them so the whales can catch them easier fix two problems with one lead free bullet.

[Deep]

My first coho was approx 45 lbs.....and taken by one of them bastards...sign me up.

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by Deep

My first coho was approx 45 lbs.....and taken by one of them bastards...sign me up.

a 45 lb coho? ya I'd be mad if they stole my world record coho. I think the first step would be to get rid of all the fish farms that are spreading all the diseases to the wild salmon, and the natives need to lead that charge because the government will listen to them before anyone else.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by kingrat

a 45 lb coho? ya I'd be mad if they stole my world record coho.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by kingrat

I think the first step would be to get rid of all the fish farms that are spreading all the diseases to the wild salmon, and the natives need to lead that charge because the government will listen to them before anyone else.

That may happen sooner than you think or it may turn into an industry that knows no boundaries and can pretty much do as they please...

Licences for fish farms are Federal but the leases are Provincial. Right now all the farms on the coast are getting their leases on a month by month basis and the Provincial government is using this tactic to force them to let the natives get their foot in the door.

I have family that work for two of the largest fish farm companies. They both agreed that they either need to join forces with the natives or they will have to shut down since they can’t keep running the way they are.

As much as I’m not crazy about fish farms they are one of the largest employers on the coast and I don’t believe they are the sole reason wild fish stocks are where they are. Cutting the numbers of seals down would probably do as much as shutting the whole fish farm industry down as far as helping wild stocks rebound. Sit in any estuary when the fish return to spawn and watch them get picked off one by one while they wait for high tide to head up the river. For the most part the seals just eat the guts and then move on to the next fish...

So, I’m in favor of a cull for sure.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Deep

My first coho was approx 45 lbs.....and taken by one of them bastards...sign me up.

Oh my.....coho from years gone by....would have been some kind of record next to my 46lbs one


Heard of seals taking salmon, never happened to me.

Yet

[Mr Flyguy]

45 lb coho? Nonsense of course.

Nevertheless, having been robbed of salmon by seals at Langara and seeing sea lions do the same it's about time for a cull. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the same culprits down south are at least partially responsible for the demise of the salmon fishery in Washington, Oregon and California. Maybe the carcasses can be rendered into orca feed?

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

I’d like to join the club

Join the "club" har har....a little double entendre regarding the club