FYI

[Mahigeer]

I thought I share it here the email I got today.
Several years ago I went a meeting about the same subject.


NOAA Fisheries Releases Proposed Rule for Marine Mammal Non-Lethal Deterrents
Today, NOAA Fisheries is soliciting input on a proposed regulation for safely deterring marine mammals from damaging fishing gear or catch, damaging personal or public property, or endangering personal safety. Marine Mammal Protection Act section 101(a)(4)(B) directs the Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA Fisheries, to publish guidelines for safely deterring marine mammals and recommend specific measures to non-lethally deter marine mammals listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This is an opportunity for the public to provide input on these guidelines and recommended specific measures. NOAA Fisheries has included in the guidelines and recommended specific measures those deterrents that are unlikely to kill or seriously injure marine mammals; we have not evaluated the effectiveness of deterrents.

We are accepting comments on the proposed rule for 60 days through October 30, 2020. For more information, please visit our website.
West Coast Region, NMFS, NOAA | westcoast.recfish@noaa.gov | http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115

 

[Rusty]

I vote for conservation of our marine mammals and “deter” gear, public and private property from damaging our precious wildlife. It is frustrating if they chew through your commercial nets when they get stuck, dont leave them there to begin with, need better commercial regulation. I appreciate NOAA and what they do, but not all is what it seems most times. Follow the money and you will find the problems.

 

[Ken Jones]

It's not all commercial problems. We went to a NOAA meeting where this was one of the topics and sport fishermen at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon (as well as those fishing out in the ocean) were losing almost all of their salmon to sea lions. NOAA was despirately looking for a way to protect both the angling opportunities for salmon and the sea lions. Thousands, literally thousands, of sea lions had moved up to that area from California. Of course the same thing has happened in the southland at times for fish such as yellowtail. It's a tough problem to satisfactorily answer. My response was birth control for the sea lions. They've used it to control pigeon populations at some piers.

 

[Rusty]

I have heard a little bit about the problem in Oregon, i think they tried out a solution that only made things worse?
As for being a tough problem, I completely agree, there is really no instant solution, it will take a long term plan to repopulate their food sources and get the pinnipeds back to where they should be. They are too smart and opportunistic and have learned the easy meals at the salmon spawning areas.