In article ,
jlrogers wrote:
MOSS LANDING — Sea lions have become a menace in Moss Landing Harbor, biting
people and breaking docks.

Fishermen in the harbor are concerned about the animals, but because they
are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, they are limited in their
options.

One fisherman was bitten by a sea lion last year and had to be hospitalized.
The wound got infected and led to a long recovery. Moss Landing resident,
Karen Dzuro of Custom Marine Covers, was bruised on the leg when a sea lion
jumped from the water and bumped against her on the dock.

Carol Jones of Tom's Sportfishing said sea lions frequently grab fish out of
her customer's hands as they are leaving the boat after a fishing
expedition.

The sea lions haul out onto the docks in large numbers, sometimes sinking
them and breaking them apart, and making it dangerous for fishermen to get
to their boats.

"They're vicious, wild beasts," said Linda McIntyre, the harbormaster. "What
I'm afraid of is that they're going to wait until a child gets killed before
they do anything."

Sea lions, once endangered, have recovered, with a current population of
more than 300,000, compared to 80,000 in the mid-1970s.

Has no one ever heard of culling? Seems pretty simple to me. There
must be some regs that need to be revised.



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Capt. JG @@
www.sailnow.com