Is fishing the Steller sea lion’s main problem?
Posted by highliner Posted: May 25, 2007 – 9:42 pm Steller sea lions. Wesley Loy photo The National Marine Fisheries Service has rolled out the latest draft of its Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan, an important document that will guide regulators on how to protect the endangered western stock of the big, braying creatures. The plan is naturally of keen interest to the fishing industry, having already lived for some years now with lots of restrictions. A leading theory is commercial nets scoop up fish the Stellers need for food. Some in the industry pine for the day when the sea lion population ticks back up – federal scientists see faint signs it’s already happening – and waters closed to fishing might reopen. Now, unless you have a real hankering to read the entire 200-page plan plus appendices, available here, The Highliner is pleased to offer you the crux of the document – a ranking of threats to sea lion recovery. • Environmental variability – POTENTIALLY HIGH • Competition with fish
