Sea Lions are the problem ?

Wildlife officials that take duty by keeping wild creatures safe such as bears are having a hard time deciding whether to kill sea lions or simply remove them from parts of the ocean. The reason they want to do this is because a endangered fish called Salmon is going extinct because they happen to be the favorite food of the Sea lion. On Oct. 5, 2011 federal law makers are trying to make a step closer to killing sea lions that feed on salmon. Even though this being said Seal lions are protected by law and are only killed when proven that thy harming the salmon population. A law has been passed for this but only 10 sea lions can be killed in a single year under this laws. But the sea lions being killed can always repopulate by reproducing. In the last 3 decades the Sea lion population has grown up too 250,000 strong. They don't just feed on the precious salmon but they also eat squid, small sharks, and mackerel. Salmon swim together in Columbia River, salmon gather near the Bonneville Dam on the border of Washington and Oregon on their way to spawning grounds. The area has become a favorite spot for the sea lions. In 2010, sea lions ate about 5,000 salmon there. That's about 1.4 percent of the salmon run. This is when sea lions feed on salmon the most. But not only are animals a threat to the ever decreasing population of salmon but so are fishermen. They are also responsible for this problem. Wildlife officials are trying to find positive ways to save the salmon by not killing the sea lions but finding a way to co-exist.