Press Release - Funeral Procession & Demonstration For Slaughtered Sea Lions
This is a Press Release about a Funeral Precession leading to a Demonstration at the NOAA office organized by PDX-ADL and The Sea Lion Protection Collective. Press Release gives times and locations of events happening, information about Sea Lion deaths, and salmon predation numbers.
It also covers the definition of "take", why people are protesting, and having a funeral for Sea Lions. Lastly, who's responsible for Sea Lion "take".
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May 9th, 2008
The Portland Animal Defense League (PDX-ADL)/The Sea Lion Protection Collective
Media Contact:
 info@pdxanimaldefense.org , pdx_adl@hush.com
 http://www.pdxanimaldefense.com/
Activity:
Funeral Procession & Demonstration For Slaughtered Sea Lions
Details:
May 9th, 2008 (Friday / Today)
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Meet at 3:00PM at SE Salmon and East bank Esplanade- or 4:00PM at (NOAA)
Funeral Precession to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office located at 1201 N.E. Lloyd Blvd Portland, OR 97232.
For Immediate Release:
Today, the PDX Grassroots Animal Liberation Organization: the Portland Animal Defense League (PDX-ADL), will lead a Funeral Precession "In Remembrance" of at least 8 Slaughtered Sea Lions, and then will hold a Demonstration Against the Illegal "Take"-(Exemption Section 120 of the Marine Mammals Protection Act), which "Endangered" Endangered Species Act Protected Stellar Sea Lions, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act "Protected" California Sea Lions. The Marine Mammals Protection Act defines "take" as "to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal." Id. §1362(13).
The Exempted killing of Protected Sea Lions is a biological mistake. Sea Lions are predators to other fish that eat Protected Salmon. Most Portlanders oppose this "take".
Record levels of over-predation by human fishing, combined with the impact of dams have reduced the Wild Salmon's numbers to a fraction of their historical populations.
Now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plans to "avenge" the remaining population of Salmon by Slaughtering Sea Lions. "The Blood is on their hands" and in the Columbia River for at least 8 of the Protected creatures, so far.
This is simply an emotional, political, irrational, and totally ineffective response to a very serious ecological issue involving Salmon, Sea Lions, Dams, Gill Nets, & Over-Fishing.
On average, 50% to 75% percent of Salmon runs are destroyed by dams. Add to that the recent increase of allowable fish kill quotas from 9% to 12%, and we must face the fact that humans are to blame for this issue, not the Native Sea Lions, that consume a meager
0.5% to 4.2% of the run. Birds account for 18%, but, let them be. Stop Gill Net Fishing.
Officials have floated a plan to the press & public stating that they are using an option of Capturing Sea Lions and "holding" them until "Homes" can be found for them. We know this to be a trick to placate the public into a sense of comfort. But, it is a False Sense of Comfort, since 7 of the 8 recently Slaughtered Sea Lions were killed under this option.
In reality, even the Director Tony Vecchio of the Portland Zoo, who is backing the
Slaughter, has opposed "Adopting" any Sea Lions.
We had said, "The Sea Lions will be slaughtered as quickly as possible, as far away from the public eye as possible. They will be shot on land, or in the water, where they stand a very high chance of being injured and dying slowly over a course of days." While many have been slaughtered quickly, they have also been slaughtered in full public view, on land, in the water, and on the decks of the traps that should have not been there to begin with. Sea World? Zoos? The Questionable Slaughter Investigation Continues ... ..
The Native Sea Lions, who have inhabited the Columbia River and successfully Co-Habited with the Salmon for thousands of years, are a Precious Part of the Natural Resources of the Area. Their existence is now our duty to preserve, not to extinguish.
They deserve to live and Flourish in the Wild as they always have: In Fresh or Salt water.
They Do Not deserve to be Injured, Slaughtered, or Tortured to Serve a Misplaced Sense of Vengeance. This misguided solution, is not based on sound science or marine biology.
PDX-ADL will Organize, Attend, and Present an Educational, Informational, Funeral Precession and Demonstration Against this Slaughter; on Friday, May 9th, 2008, at 4:00 P.M. outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office located at 1201 N.E. Lloyd Blvd Portland, in Oregon 97232.
We urge all Sea Lion-loving, Salmon-protecting, and Eco-minded Portlanders to join us.
The Portland Animal Defense League is a volunteer-run Grassroots Animal Liberation Organization, Dedicated to Exposing Animal Abuse in All of Its Forms. Our Goal is to Compel Others to Evaluate the Mistreatment of Animals, and be Persuaded to Eliminate Animal Exploitation and Oppression.
http://www.pdxanimaldefense.com/
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homepage: http://www.pdxanimaldefense.com/
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All,
We have been made aware this morning by Homeland Security that the 1201 Building is the intended destination of a planned protest today over the recent seal related activity at Bonneville Dam. The protest is planned between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM and is anticipated to arrive here sometime at approximately 4:00 PM. Please be advised that we will be locking all lobby doors and elevators at 3:00 PM today. During this time, building access and elevator functions will only be available via access prox cards. In addition, we would request that employees refrain from exiting at the East loading dock. The building will be on its normal weekend schedule Saturday and Sunday (5-10/11), returning to normal operation on Monday 5/12.
We do anticipate the presence of both Homeland Security and Portland Police to assist with crowd control during the event.
We would request that you share this with all employees. We would also ask for your cooperation when entering and exiting the building this afternoon in preventing protestors from "piggybacking" and entering the building.
Thank you for your cooperation.
J.R. Burwell | Real Estate Manager