Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds.

Yesterday my family all converged on Bear's house for a BBQ. This time the two people in StbX's family that are nice people attended. My grand daughter joined in. She is living with her dad now... for the summer. She was shy and clinging to me most of the time, but that was okay by me.








Max had to work. He had a bad weekend. He was invited to a party, but his ride never showed on Saturday. Then we had this party and he had to work. He just plain missed out.




I hope you enjoy the Bob Marley. I know at least two of you like him... and I like to please myself. Ha. I find regae music very relaxing. Almost hypnotic. Little kids always like it. Mikey gets into the beat and knows some of the words. Of course his favorite song right now is "That's Not My Name"by The Ting Tings.


I hope you are off to a good start to your week and that you find it satisfying in whatever way floats your boat. Me... I plan to go fishing. Aaaahhhh... talk about relaxing.

NOAA recommends killing sea lions at Bonneville Dam

Posted by The Oregonian January 17, 2008 10:58AM

Categories: Green headlines

A federal agency is recommending the killing of as many as 30 sea lions a year at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, where they gather each year to eat migrating spring chinook salmon.

The recommendation from NOAA Marine Fisheries was one of four options, ranging from no action at all to killing many more of the sea lions that prey on salmon. Sea lions and many Columbia River spring salmon runs are protected by federal laws.

The agency will take public comment through Feb. 19.

The alternatives are in a draft environmental assessment issued in response to requests from Oregon, Washington and Idaho to kill predatory sea lions as a means of preserving dwindling salmon runs.

MORE:

Go to the NOAA site to read more about the recommendations

AP

I have a lot of mixed emotions about this. I have Indian friends here who make a living fishing the salmon. They should have first rights, in my opinion to the fish.

I have friends who just love to fish the salmon for sport. That, I have some trouble with... we catch and release but most of my friends do not. They often give me fish because I live off of fish except for the occasional boneless, skinless, flavor-lacking, dry to the point of choking chicken breast. It is generous and thoughtful and appreciated. But am I contributing to the problem?

The sea lions are here because we...with the help of the rest of the world... heavy blame delegated to Japan above others... have fished the hell out of our poor salmon in the ocean. Now the sea lions are here to feed. They are intelligent enough to understand the the fish ladders make salmon traffic heavy in a narrow alley where they can be easily collected.

I do not feel right about shooting them just because they found a good place to eat. I'd much rather that they said... sea lions may feed and the Indians may fish, who have fishing rights here.
But sport fishing needs to stop until the salmon have grown in numbers again to the point where they are safe enough to fish. And if that never happens, too bad fishermen.

I love salmon to eat, but we have hatchery fish that can be increased to help replenish the natural stock and farm fish that can be eaten. I'll miss the free fish, but I'm willing.

I really don't want them to kill the sea lions. Maybe its because I'm a California raised brat and used to the darlings barking at me and even chasing me on occasion. I'm awfully fond of them.

What do you think is the right thing to do?