Sea-lions vs Stealheads

Could they not have tranquilized the animals, and then move them to another location? I understand that that isn’t ideal, but surely it’s better than killing them? It seems like a tricky situation, but I just don’t agree with what was done.
 
I recall large cullings of cormorants for the same reason as this along the West Coast throughout the past several years. The same arguments were brought up regarding the culling such as "Why don't you fix why they are actually endangered?". I am curious as to whether or not the culling is effective but I have a feeling it will not give the results on fish populations that are wanted.
 
I do wonder if there are other reasons behind the culling of sea lions. They are a well-known and arguably overpopulated nuisance along the West Coast. Particularly problematic animals are often tagged, some transported to other areas (not sure how effective this is), and many removed from the wild to find homes in zoos, aquariums, and other captive settings. Captive breeding of this species is pretty rare in the US due to how easy it is to obtain rescues from the wild. Despite this, the enormous population remains troublesome for those who live there.

birdsandbats said:
Steelheads are a well-established introduced species in the Great Lakes.
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Does that make them not endangered or worth protecting in their native habitat? You could probably find a dozen more species introduced to regions outside of their natural habitat but still in need of protection within their native range.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Does that make them not endangered or worth protecting in their native habitat? You could probably find a dozen more species introduced to regions outside of their natural habitat but still in need of protection within their native range.

~Thylo
Click to expand...
I was only pointing out this fact, as it does seen loosely related to the topic at hand.
 
I wonder what effect this would have on the fish species. If there natural predators were eliminated, this would mean that the population and gene pool would be contaminated by individuals that would normally be eaten through natural selection. This could have an adverse effect on fish population and could mean future generations are weaker, which is in no way helpful for an already dying species.

Also, as has been said by others, surely there is another way. It says in the article that the sea lions are captured before being euthanised. Couldn’t they be released elsewhere, or just kept in captivity until the endangered fish leave the area and then released again.
 
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