Outdoor Notebook: Sea (you later) lions

Spring chinook are starting to filter into the Lower Columbia River, and the voracious sea lions are once again licking their chops.

After last year's fiasco, in which sea lions perched just below Bonneville Dam (more than 140 miles from the Pacific Ocean) and gobbled up numerous spring chinook, metal grates and acoustic devices were installed in hopes of keeping them out of the fishway.

Instead, a sea lion bull, dubbed No. 404, found his way through the grates this month and has been seen grubbing on the early arriving fish.

Now fisheries officials are stepping up their sea-lion deterrence efforts a notch, seeking federal authority to remove problem sea lions in future years if expanded hazing doesn't work.

About 100 sea lions at Bonneville Dam last year ate an estimated 3 to 4 percent of the 106,000 spring chinook run passing the dam, according to Corps of Engineers biologists. State biologists said additional salmon were also eaten in the lower river.

The projected spring chinook run in the Columbia will be low for the second year in a row. About 161,400 spring chinook are predicted back to the Columbia this year, with "upriver stocks" of 88,400. Last year, a predicted run of 400,000 fish turned out to be a meager 195,400.

Biologists are predicting sea lions could kill as much as 10 percent of this year's spring chinook run. Increasing their concern is the fact that several runs are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.

"The states will be using every hazing method available to us under federal law, including acoustic and percussive devices, flares and rubber bullets," said Steve Williams of Oregon Fish and Wildlife.

Williams said the hazing campaign will broaden last year's efforts to keep sea lions from preying on salmon and other fish species near Bonneville Dam.

The new hazing activities are scheduled to begin April 1 from Bonneville Dam downstream approximately 12 miles to Marker 85.

Removing sea lions — which could include both lethal and non-lethal methods — must be approved by the National Marine Fishery Service, the federal agency that manages sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. If approved, removal of sea lions would not occur until this year's hazing attempts have been completed and assessed.

Sea lions are also a big headache for sport anglers in the lower river. Some snatch hooked fish off fishing lines, and in one instance last spring, an angler had a fish taken directly out of a half closed net.

Other fish species in the big river such as sturgeon are also vulnerable.

"The Columbia River supports the largest healthy white sturgeon population in the world," said Williams, "and sea lions have the potential to severely deplete mature female sturgeon, which are their preferred prey. Those sturgeon represent the future of the species."

Sea lions have also been observed recently near Merwin Dam on the Lewis River, a tributary of the Columbia, picking off winter steelhead.

Notes

• The Tacoma Dome Boat Show is Wednesday through next Sunday. Show hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Weekday discount coupons good for $2 off are available at all Western Washington Key Bank locations or on-line at www.tacomadomeboatshow.com.

• John Hansen with Outdoor Emporium is conducting a halibut and bottomfishing seminar at the Eastside Puget Sound Anglers meeting, at 7 p.m. on April 19 at North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave. N.E. Details: 425-562-9180.

• The Orvis four-week beginning fly-tying school starts April 5. Noted fly-tier George LeBlanc will conduct the class, which covers basic techniques and essential skills needed to tie streamers, wets and dry flies. Cost is $100. The Orvis beginning fly-fishing school starts April 2. Expert instructors will teach how to fly cast, master essential knots and equipment, as well as stream entomology at a local fishing spot. Cost is $185. Details: 425-452-9138.

• Northwest Fly Anglers offers seven-week beginning fly-casting classes from 6:30 p.m. till dusk starting April 11 at the Green Lake casting pier. Cost is $35. Details: 206-706-8683.

• The Washington Fly Fishing Club's six-week class for beginning fly-casters starts April 6 at Green Lake. Cost is $40. Details: 206-542-4623.

• The Olympic BirdFest is Friday through next Sunday at the Dungeness River Audubon Center in Sequim. Come view a wide array of birds, guided birding trips, boat and kayak tours, a traditional salmon bake at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Center and much more. Details: 360-681-4076 or www.olympicbirdfest.org.

• The Three Rivers Marine and Tackle halibut and crabbing seminar is 10 a.m. Saturday at 24300 Woodinville-Snohomish Road. Terry Rudnick and Clyde McBrayer will offer their expertise. Cost is $5. Details: 425-415-1575 or www.3riversmarine.com.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com