To the editor,
B.C. is home to the most spectacular coastline of North America. It has the top predator on land the wolf, and in the waters the orcas.
Our resident orcas are declining in numbers quite radically. As witnessed in news clips last year some died and many were emaciated. The reason: declining salmon numbers.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote that B.C. sea lions consume an estimated 800 million pounds of sea food annually. A recent news clip showed commercial fishermen unable to bring their nets in due to sea lions in the nets devouring the herring.
As a sport fisherman I am already restricted as to numbers taken and specific size requirements. There are many areas that are already closed to the sport fishing. To consider a ban of sport fishing in the Strait of Georgia would accomplish nothing.
The easiest and quickest solution to declining fish stocks particularly chinook would be to have a cull of the sea lions. These gluttonous creatures are devouring vast quantities of sea food that impact the food chain for the salmon. They are of little value to the ecosystem and a cull of sea lions would restore a finer balance to the fish stocks.
Robert Myers, Nanaimo
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The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.