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Friday, October 25, 2013

FISHERMEN SUSPECTED OF MURDERING SEA LIONS OFF MALIBU COAST

The murder of two sea lions coincides with the start of the squid fishing season.

Some have suggested that the dozens of squid boats that showed up near County Line Beach at the beginning of the month and the death of the sea lions may be related.

Wildlife rescue workers confirmed last week that two sea lions that washed onto the Malibu coast on Oct. 10th and 11th died of gunshot wounds, while a third dead sea lion bore suspicious injuries.

The shooting deaths coincided with the beginning of the squid fishing season on Oct. 1.

The squid also attract hunters such as sea lions. Sea lions and other mammals are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Fishermen are allowed to use nonlethal means, such as firecracker-like “seal bombs,” to scare hunters away from their nets, but not bullets. Critics allege it happens anyway.

Donna Collins, a seasonal worker for California State Parks, said she commonly heard gunshots and saw flashes of light from squid boats when she stopped at County Line Beach last winter while on patrol.

She usually stopped at County Line around 11 p.m., she said.  “These were definitely gunshots. And it had happened several times,” Collins said. “I contacted the Coast Guard… They said they’d had several complaints about it as well. They said they were going to do their own investigation. We never heard anything about that particular incident.”

Read more - http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_66d837ec-3ba9-11e3-ac12-0019bb2963f4.html


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RELATED

OTTER SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES AND BLINDED IN VANCOUVER - FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE
NO SUSPECTS YET, BUT HE MAY HAVE BEEN SHOT BY SOMEONE WHO SAW HIM AS COMPETITION FOR SHELLFISH HARVESTING.
 
The otter named Pirate is still in critical condition and under the care of Vancouver Aquarium specialists.
 

Pirate was shot all over his face and is now blind.  His prognosis is still guarded.  He is eating, but whether he is euthanized or not will depend on what the Vancouver Aquarium considers "quality of life". 

 

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