Following four confirmed cattle kills by wolves in northeastern Washington, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife managers ordered the killing of wolves. As a result, effectively 10 percent of the wolf pack was eliminated. The cost to re-introduce wolves and build their populations over the years has been expensive.
In the meantime, after millions, if not billions, of dollars have been spent over the years on any number of measures to bolster salmon runs, sea lions continue to multiply and feast on salmon. A recent population survey counted thousands of these predators just on the West Coast. They have taken over docks from San Francisco to Astoria and cost the Port of Astoria thousands of dollars a month in lost revenue.
All the while, they take a significant portion of the salmon runs that have been so costly to rebuild. In the meantime, nothing gets done. Where is the leadership when it comes to dealing with this growing problem? I guess sea lions are safe as long as they don’t start killing cattle.
