We can solve a problem

Summary and Response #2

In “Fishermen go after protected sea lions” the author talks about competitions between sea lions and salmon; and that between fishermen and sea lions, because the fishermen are upset that sea lions feast on salmon at the Dam at the Columbia River. For this reason, some fishermen have shot the protected sea lions and some of the fishermen have already been fined because of the shooting. According to the article, the impatient fishermen are extremely disappointed in the sea lions and they think that the declining of salmon growth is dependent on them. However, A small percent of sea lion’s population eat just a small percent of salmon, which is hooked by fishermen at the Dam. So, we can understand that sea lions are not a serious reason for depletion of salmon.

There is a very interesting question to point out that if sea lions endanger to the salmon, why have they coexisted for thousands of years? Also, why were the salmon populations reduced haphazardly after the dam was built? According to the questions, all sea lions do not have to be responsible for these dead salmon. In truth, the construction of dams were a serious reason for depleting the salmon population, because the habitat of salmon were changed by the dams, and the salmon reservoirs behind the dams attract sea lions. The first consequence of dams is that the salmon have lost their habitat and they have started to spawn in waters closer to sea. For this reason, more than a half percent of baby salmon die. The second negative consequence is that dams inspire to the sea lions to feast on the salmon.

There are two agreements to solve that problem, which is how to save the sea lion and the salmon. Some people agree that they should kill small percent of sea lion population for keeping a balance between the sea lion and the salmon, because they think that the sea lions are responsible for salmon deaths. On the other side, some people totally disagree with that opinion because they think those dams are leading to salmon deaths. In my view, the solution of that problem is to eliminate the dams in the Snake River. If those dams can be eliminated, the salmon will have their habitat restored and they will come back. Also, it probably can reduce the salmon baby’s deaths. Another advantage of eliminating the dams is that the risk of salmon deaths would be reduced, when they pass through the dams.

In conclusion, that problem is very complicated to solve, because the problem is a kind of cycle connection among the involved parties. That means, the protected sea lions feast on the protected salmon, and for this reason the protected sea lion is endangered by fishermen, who hook the salmon to supply their living. Therefore, if experts of the protection act do not want to kill the sea lions; and on the other hand the fishermen want to prevent the extinction of salmon, they should focus on eliminating those dams. That solution will probably work for all of them.

 Reference:

Frazier, J. ( 2007). Fisherman go after protected sea lions. USA TODAY. Retrieved October 29, 2008, from http:// usatoday.printtis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=F