Guide seeks action against marine mammal predation

Thursday, March 16, 2006
By ALLEN THOMAS Columbian staff writer


Tired of watching sea lions feasting of salmon and sturgeon at Bonneville Dam, Carson fishing guide Duane Huber is fighting back.

Owner of River Run Guide Service, Huber is collecting signatures on a petition he intends to give to state representatives and senators and U.S. representatives on both sides of the Columbia River, plus the two governors.

"I'm tired of hearing that there is nothing that can be done to get the numbers controlled,'' Huber said. "It seems what we have are federal representatives, senators and governors who do not want to take a stand. I have to believe that we have the right to say what is saved on the inland rivers.''

Research by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated 3.4 percent of the 2005 spring Chinook run at Bonneville Dam was taken by marine mammals.

That percentage is up from just 0.3 percent four years earlier.

In the past two years, the sea lions have starting eating sturgeon too.

Jack Glass, a Troutdale, Ore., fishing guide, said he thinks 10 to 15 oversize sturgeon a week are being eaten by sea lions at Bonneville Dam.

"They are hungry. They're very voracious up in that area, and there's no question they've turned to sturgeon just to have some feed because there are too many and not enough food sources,'' Glass said.

Huber said he collected 1,500 signatures at a central Oregon sportsmen's show in Redmond plus another 1,000 in the Carson and Stevenson areas.

He plans to collect signatures for another two or three months before presenting them to office holders.

To get a copy of the petition, e-mail Huber at RiverRunGS@aol.com