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Press Release from the Friends of Clayoquot Sound
April 21, 2000, For Immediate Release
Stellar Sea Lion Massacre Near Fish Farm in Clayoquot Sound
(Tofino) At least 14 recently killed Stellar Sea Lion bodies have been =
found
heaped in a pit near a Fish Farm at Indian Bay in Clayoquot Sound. On
Thursday, April 20, the Sea Lions (piled likely on top of many more) =
were
discovered at a rocky beach, half buried.
It is confirmed that Creative Salmon, a local Fish Farm company has =
taken
credit for the slaughter under the management of Bill Vernon. =
Ironically,
Bill Vernon and Creative Salmon have just received a BC Aquaculture =
award
for their leadership in following the Salmon Farming Code of Practice,
within the Tofino area. "This type of incident demonstrates one of the =
many
ways in which Fish Farms are destructive to local ecology. It would seem
that these Fish Farm operators are trigger happy and have chosen a =
species
whose population is declined as their target for destruction," says =
Edward
May, campaigner with the Friends of Clayoquot Sound.
The Sea Lions had no missing parts and were left whole with very little
decomposition. A rope for rigging them into a pile was left tied on a =
nearby
tree and a portion of rope was still tight around one of the dead Sea =
Lions
throats.
The Friends of Clayoquot Sound believe sound deterrent devices instead =
of
fatal weaponry should be used in trying to persuade animals away from
industry. The use of guns on and nearby Fish Farms are dangerous not =
only to
threatened and endangered species in the wild and Clayoquot Sound, but =
also
to the many tourists and whale watchers that share the area.
The Friends of Clayoquot Sound also are campaigning for on land, closed =
loop
system Fish Farms instead of open sea cage systems, which currently =
abound
in Clayoquot Sound.
For more information call Edward May at 250-725-4218
(photo of the dead sea lions available)
Friends of Clayoquot Sound
Box 489, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0
(250) 725-4218 tel 725-2527 fax
email: focs at web.net
website: www.ancientrainforest.org
Postscript. - The Georgia Strait Alliance recommends predator control =
nets (until opague closed systems are deployed) instead of acoustic =
harrassment devices (AHDs) which only eventually deafen habituated seals =
& sea lions and do nothing to stop them and in fact create "exclusionary =
zones" for whales and porpoises.
- Howard Breen , Georgia Strait Alliance=20
Habitat Campaign Coordinator. - 250-247-7467=20
hbreen at georgiastrait.org
=20
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