At least 8 sea lions found shot to death around Puget Sound

BY Josh Kerns  on January 27, 2012 @ 5:57 pm (Updated: 9:55 pm - 1/27/12 )

sealion.jpg
Observers with Seal Sitters examine a sea lion found shot to death in Lincoln Park in West Seattle. (Robin Lindsay/Seal Sitters) | Zoom
State and federal wildlife officials are investigating the shootings of at least eight sea lions found dead around the Puget Sound region in recent weeks.

The latest was discovered Monday at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. The regional marine mammal protection group Seal Sitters reports a necropsy revealed the sea lion was killed by a bullet to the lung.

Observer Robin Lindsay speculates with fish stocks running strong, some fishermen are shooting the sea lions because they are actively feeding.

"Unfortunately, some people just don't like the sea lions and seals feeding on fish," said Lindsay.

Sea lions are federally protected with penalties for killing them ranging from fines to jail time.

Both the Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are investigating the deaths. KING 5 reports the bodies of seven sea lions were recently found on the Nisqually River, all apparently shot as well.

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (43)


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  • Legion wrote...
    Hmm
    January 27, 2012 10:18 pm
    --Observer Robin Lindsay speculates with fish stocks running strong, some fishermen are shooting the sea lions because they are actively feeding. "Unfortunately, some people just don't like the sea lions and seals feeding on fish," said Lindsay.-- Yeah, and I don't like the "au naturel" mom breast feeding her ugly kid in public or Fatty Mcfoodstamp feeding her 8 welfare kids at McDonalds. But do I shoot them? No. Maybe I should start.... People are the worst.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Truhawk wrote...
    It's sad!
    January 27, 2012 10:19 pm
    That Federally protected fish stocks that are endangered are being decimated by overpopulated sea lions that do not need federal protection anymore! Nature requires balance, so losing more of the sea lions wouldn't hurt at all. Good shooting, Nisqually tribe!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WALLYWORLD001 wrote...
    Joke
    January 27, 2012 10:35 pm
    A sea lion walks into a bar. The bartender says; "what'll you have?" The sea lion replies; "Anything but a Canadian Club!" Thank you very much. I will be playing here all week.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Eventually nature (Or God) balances every out.
    January 28, 2012 3:00 am
    Over abundace of Sea lions who are eating the profits of commerical fisherman thus raising the price of that Seafood platter the next time you visit some Sea Gallery and since I am a product of nature and that same nature gave me a gift of being a pretty good marksman (Just ask all the dead squirrels and birds and a window or 2 in my wake) I could do my part to thin out the Sea Lion population. Not that I ever have shot any Sea lions but it sure would be a cryin same to let all this talent go to waiste. And I would not even asked to be paid for it/
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • johndoe96712 wrote...
    Thin you out
    January 28, 2012 1:54 pm
    You should be thinned out of the population smuck!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • youmad wrote...
    LOL @ "god balancing eveything out"
    January 28, 2012 4:34 am
    they were shot with a gun. God doesn't deserve any credit for this one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    but....
    January 28, 2012 7:21 am
    god gave us guns to do his work. Some just do it better than others.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Soiunds like someone is just protecting the salmon.
    January 28, 2012 5:12 am
    It'v very "Forrest & Fish" to me.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    Please explain 5-0
    January 28, 2012 2:27 pm
    I don't get it, but then again I don't have that high IQ that you in LE have.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • pnew wrote...
    MMM...GOOD
    January 28, 2012 5:51 am
    I enjoy Fisherman`s brand Cream of Sea Lion soup.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cameron wrote...
    From the Photo Caption
    January 28, 2012 5:57 am
    Seal Sitters? Really? Please tell me this is a completely voluntary organization and no government money goes to fund it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • otmilkr wrote...
    Seal Sitters Federal Employee
    January 28, 2012 6:56 am
    $22.00 / hr SEIU scale, full State benefits , every holiday paid.... Why not?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    Who cares
    January 28, 2012 7:26 am
    They're just sea lions. Animals are for killing and eating.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • johndoe96712 wrote...
    How about you?
    January 28, 2012 1:47 pm
    Lets feed YOU to the lions, you smuck! That would fun to watch :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cg5611 wrote...
    humans
    January 28, 2012 7:31 am
    have done more harm to the fish stocks than sealions could ever dream of doing. Way before there were dams on the Columbia there were so many salmon running that there is an area above Cle Elum called Salmon la Sac (French for fish in a basket) by the 1840s commercial fishing on the Columbia decimated the returning stock. Then the dams came to the Columbia and we all know what happened to the returning fish becasue there were no fish ladders on the Grand Coulee. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars are being spent to improve and get salmon to return to remote spawning grounds. There is a natural balance and greedy humans tend to be the ones screwing it up.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Wow...
    January 28, 2012 8:06 am
    Thanks so much for the history of the NW lesson. Unfortunatley, we humans call that progress! I for one have grown to like having heat and light and electricty. I also know of several people who have spent thousands of dollars of their own miney trying to rebuild the streams or natural salmon spawning grounds on their own propetry only to be sued by the EPA for not getting the proper permits (permits =paying HUGE $$$ fees). The EPA has done plenty of harm to we humans. Have you ever watched the Sea Lions feed on the salmon? They take a bite our of the belly of the fish and toss the rest. At least we humans use the whole fish.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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