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MONTH: May 2008
Spared by court, sea lions are shot by night raiders
PORTLAND--The National Marine Fisheries Service is investigating the early May 5 fatal shooting of six California sea lions who were trapped in floating cages used by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife to capture sea lions who are believed to be contributing to the depletion of endangered salmon runs.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on April 23, 2008 granted an injunction to the Humane Society of the U.S. and coplaintiffs which allowed Oregon wildlife wardens to capture sea lions who eat endangered salmon below the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, but prohibited killing sea lions.
Eight of 61 sea lions targeted for removal were trapped on April 24, of whom one died while awaiting transfer to Sea World. Zoos and aquariums had agreed to accept about 20. No others were impounded before the program was suspended. The National Marine Fisheries Service had authorized Oregon officials to kill any for whom homes could not be found.