The state failed to notify the public of this killing in a timely manner.
At a time when thousands of sea lions are starving to death from Chile to Canada, when the public is struggling to save them, and while NOAA is apparently trying to figure out why they are dying, the ODFW has resumed killing those sea lions who venture into Oregon waters. The irony is compounded when one appreciates that the reason so many sea lions are starving to death is very likely over-fishing. (For more information on the connection between over-fishing and starving sea lions, see  http://sealiondefensebrigade.org/?p=475.) And so, to protect the interests of people who want to fish until there are no fish left in the oceans, the ODFW is killing sea lions to make more room for the fishermen.
Monitors are urgently needed to observe the Astoria traps, and to hand out fliers and educate the public about what is happening to these sea lions. If you care about this ecosystem and the animals who share it with us, we need your creativity, your energy, and your passion. We had anticipated that the killing would not commence again until the spring, given that the State claimed the killing was over for 2009. Now, we have been reminded yet again that we cannot trust anything that the ODFW says, and that we must get back out to the water to save these sea lions. We cannot wait until the spring. Please contact the Sea Lion Defense Brigade to find out how you can help. You can reach us by emailing  info@sealiondefensebrigade.org, or you can also reach us through our friends at NW In Defense of Animals by calling (503)249-9996.
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And certainly, C928 must be among the "worst of the worst" of the salmon-eating sea lions at Bonneville Dam, as his 9 fish surpasses even C858, who was put to death by ODFW on May 15th of 2009 for the crime of eating TWO fish.
Wow. Thank goodness we have so many spare tax dollars lying around right now to be bankrolling the ODFW for this program, to the tune of millions of dollars. I would really hate to think of the havoc that could have been unleashed, had these two sea lions been allowed to live, and consume 9 and 2 more salmon in the spring. Why, that's 11 salmon! Just think how much money all those fishermen who are parked out on the Columbia right now, dragging their gill nets, could get for 11 salmon!
Gee. Also, since salmon make up only 10% to 30% of a sea lion's diet, those sea lions probably would have been running around eating walleye and other non-native, invasive fish species that fishermen really like to catch and kill, even though those other fish kill and eat salmon.