fandango - 6-26-2007 at 10:49 PM
about 2 years ago i saw a big boat really close to the beach. it was very exciting to see it so close. not knowing what it was, i ran down to see
it. i was pretty unhappy to see that it was a commercial net fishing boat. not much later we heard a seal barking. this seal barked for hours. i set
up the telescope and could see that the seal was in the net. the next morning there was a dead seal on the beach with a large rope tied around it, i
am assuming to haul it out of the net or off the boat.
the number of fishing boats in the ensenada bay seems to have dramatically increased. before that first boat near the beach 2 years ago, i had never
seen any. the number of dead seals, tied with a large rope or chain, up and down the beach is alarming. five in one day, freshly dead.
just a few days ago there was a boat at night, close to the beach, seal barking all night. in the morning there was a seal and pup. seal was wrapped
with a chain, pup was nearby. pup was 1 day old, if that.
the reason for this post is to ask a few questions.
what type of nets are used on these boats?
is it legal to net this way?
are these boats prohibited from fishing the bay?
there is protection for pinnipeds along the west coast of california extending as far south as ensenada outlined in Ley General de Vida
Silvestre.......
what type of trouble can i get myself into by pointing this protection out to officials and the ship company?
Don Alley - 6-27-2007 at 07:54 AM
I don't think you would get into any trouble, but I don't think you will get anything done either.
Laws protecting pinnepeds are becoming a disaster. There has a huge increase in property damage to boats and docks. More reports of attacks and
injuries. Increased pressure on fisheries. Public beaches (like the San Diego Children's Beach) have been taken over and closed.
The US has relaxed the regulations somewhat, now allowing methods to try and keep pinnepeds away from boats. In some areas it is virtually impossible
to fish, for sport or commercially, without conflicts.
There are too many seals. And that's a result of a law that alters biolgical environments based on the perceived "cuteness" of mammals vs. slimy fish,
spiny urchins, scary sharks, etc.
Fishermen are at the front lines, there is little love for pinnepeds among fishermen and some go too far. But the law has gone to far as well and
you'll likely find little sympathy in Mexico, whether you protest commercial fishermen killing overabundant seals, or squeezing the last few fish out
of collapsing fish populations.
But if you can find a pinneped on a US beach still alive, they can get free health care, including hospitalization.
bajabound2005 - 6-27-2007 at 08:23 AM
Our understanding is that none of those boats is to be in the bay, but money talks. They are netting sardines and the like to feed into the tuna
pens. There are some signs on the beaches posted by either SEMERNAT or PROFEPA that includes phone numbers to call if you come across dead or injured
sea life. Next time I'm on the beach I'll make note of the number and post it.
Oops !
MrBillM - 6-27-2007 at 08:45 AM
Initially, I misread the topic as "Pinhead" protection and thought it had something to do with Congress.
capt. mike - 6-27-2007 at 09:23 AM
can you eat seal?
wonder how it would be smoked.
or slow roasted like Javalina.
i bet eskimos eat 'em!
Roberto - 6-27-2007 at 12:41 PM
If they are that close to shore in Ensenada Bay, my guess is that these are bait boats. They are looking for bait either for the tuna pens or the
sportfishing boats.
It's also possible that the seals get caught in there when they go after the bait in the net, but I'm not sure.
Cypress - 6-27-2007 at 02:17 PM
It's hard to tell the difference between seal liver and pork liver.
Seal
liver might have a fishy twang to it.
No Liver, But .........
MrBillM - 6-27-2007 at 06:12 PM
How are Seal Steaks ? As good as Dolphin ?
BirdDog - 6-27-2007 at 06:24 PM
Baby seal soup in a turtle shell bowl is great.
fandango - 6-29-2007 at 09:48 PM
bajabound:
i would like any phone numbers that you see. what area have you seen the signs posted?
thanks.
bajabound2005 - 6-30-2007 at 07:30 AM
Punta Estero (the spit in Punta Banda) --
Here's the number to call
bajabound2005 - 7-1-2007 at 12:59 PM
the agency is ICMME. The phone # is 646 178 7301 to report stranded, injured or dead marine mammals.
bajabum - 7-3-2007 at 06:51 PM
The seal population is out of control from Monterey to SQ due to over control and regulation. Don Alley hit it right on the head (or should have, a
few less seals would be OK). The seal poulation is so far out of control that the govt should consider reversing the laws and allow local seal hunts,
to return nature to its normal balance. Clubs, guns, poisen, nets..whatever the population needs to be thinned or the unbalance will cause more damge
to the eco chain than just a few dead seals.
vandenberg - 7-3-2007 at 07:05 PM
I always thought it great fun to spar with a 1000lb bull seal .trying to chase him off the transom, in the San Francisco harbor.
So do the
fishermen and party boat captains.
There would be a massacre ,if they could get away with it, but the tourists think of them as harmless and lovable
and inevitably take their side.
fandango - 7-27-2007 at 11:31 AM
thanks for the telephone numbers, bajabound. turns out there is an agent involved in investigating this. the boats should not be in the harbor and
this agent is taking bullets from the seals before they can be buried.
the general opinion on this thread is disheartening. it doesn't matter if you agree or not with the laws protecting these seals, what is being
done is cruel.
i just want to live a peaceful life here and instead of listening to the waves, i listen to a tortured seal.
love animals, don't eat them.
805gregg - 7-27-2007 at 11:54 AM
All along the coast of California there are too many seals, if you go out to the Channel Islands you will find at least a few seals or more in every
cove and fishing area. Their take of the fish is 24/7 and no size limits. The recreational fisherman is blamed for the loss of fish when the protected
seals are doing a lot of the damage. I say protect the great whites and let them take care of the seal problem.
fandango - 7-27-2007 at 12:00 PM
"I say protect the great whites and let them take care of the seal problem"
i agree.
oladulce - 7-27-2007 at 04:46 PM
A few weeks ago my husband was using the camera to zoom in to see what this floating thing was and saw this lobo sunning himself.
A couple seconds later the ongoing conflict between fisherman and these guys played out when a passing panga changed course and headed for the lobo.
We thought the pangero had nailed him and cringed, expecting to hear the "thud". After seeing the photo, we realized that it was probably a type of
aversion therapy.
bajabound2005 - 7-27-2007 at 06:05 PM
I just hate seeing dead wildlife on the beach...if there are too many seals, so be it, do what needs to be done; I just don't want to see them on the
beach for months and have my dogs rolling in them...they love it; but it takes us DAYS to get the smell outta the dogs, vinegar and all.