Sushihunter
Active Member
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/live/article/81585
Conundrum: Save the salmon, kill the seals?
Eco-Minded by Kai Chan
July 10, 2008 05:50
Salmon stocks are at near-record lows and market prices are rising quickly. Should we blame warming oceans? Overfishing?
In Washington and Oregon, the apparent culprits are actually the large-eyed, cuddly kind. A government bill proposes to kill California sea lions that feed in abundance near dams and fish ladders. In B.C., we have a similar conundrum: Harbour seals are one of the suspects being fingered as causing salmon scarcity.
Harbour seals are more abundant than ever. They eat up to 60,000 tons of fish each year — double the peak fish catch in this area — contributing to potential local extinctions of coho salmon and herring populations.
These smart mammals are not just hunting for fish on their own. After watching fishermen pull up lines dangling with fresh fish, the seals have learned thieving ways.
This depredation encroaches on fish supply during an already slow season, which might drive down salmon-related tourism. According to Dr. Carl Walters of UBC’s Fisheries Centre, seals have changed the ecosystem dynamics, threatening the Strait of Georgia’s biodiversity and fish production.
So, kill the seals? The idea is not foreign: In Atlantic Canada, six species of seals are hunted for commercial purposes, causing considerable controversy with our European neighbours.
Should we do the same? Tampering with nature yields uncertain results: Protecting B.C. seals 30 years ago served a purpose but now degrades local fish stocks. Will culling the seals reverse these changes or will it trigger other unintended consequences? The world has changed, and reversing actions doesn’t always reverse consequences. Whichever course we choose, we can learn from it if we practise “adaptive management” — review our actions and learn from mistakes. We sure make enough of them — this way some good can come of it.
Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250
Conundrum: Save the salmon, kill the seals?
Eco-Minded by Kai Chan
July 10, 2008 05:50
Salmon stocks are at near-record lows and market prices are rising quickly. Should we blame warming oceans? Overfishing?
In Washington and Oregon, the apparent culprits are actually the large-eyed, cuddly kind. A government bill proposes to kill California sea lions that feed in abundance near dams and fish ladders. In B.C., we have a similar conundrum: Harbour seals are one of the suspects being fingered as causing salmon scarcity.
Harbour seals are more abundant than ever. They eat up to 60,000 tons of fish each year — double the peak fish catch in this area — contributing to potential local extinctions of coho salmon and herring populations.
These smart mammals are not just hunting for fish on their own. After watching fishermen pull up lines dangling with fresh fish, the seals have learned thieving ways.
This depredation encroaches on fish supply during an already slow season, which might drive down salmon-related tourism. According to Dr. Carl Walters of UBC’s Fisheries Centre, seals have changed the ecosystem dynamics, threatening the Strait of Georgia’s biodiversity and fish production.
So, kill the seals? The idea is not foreign: In Atlantic Canada, six species of seals are hunted for commercial purposes, causing considerable controversy with our European neighbours.
Should we do the same? Tampering with nature yields uncertain results: Protecting B.C. seals 30 years ago served a purpose but now degrades local fish stocks. Will culling the seals reverse these changes or will it trigger other unintended consequences? The world has changed, and reversing actions doesn’t always reverse consequences. Whichever course we choose, we can learn from it if we practise “adaptive management” — review our actions and learn from mistakes. We sure make enough of them — this way some good can come of it.
Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250
