S-0890.1                   _______________________________________________

                                            SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8005

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators Oke, Owen, Hargrove, Amondson, Erwin, Haugen, Snyder, Hochstatter, Deccio, M. Rasmussen and Roach

Read first time 01/25/93.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Requesting the federal government to allow the state of Washington to permanently remove certain predatory seals and sea lions.

          TO THE HONORABLE BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Harbor seals and sea lion populations have greatly expanded in recent years due to protective federal legislation; and

          WHEREAS, Seals and sea lions are active predators upon salmon and steelhead trout; and

          WHEREAS, Salmon and steelhead trout are significantly reduced in numbers throughout Washington state and some stocks have been listed as threatened or endangered species; and

          WHEREAS, In order to allow salmon and steelhead trout populations to recover to normal levels it will be necessary to control seals and sea lions in areas where they cause significant mortality to anadromous fish; and

          WHEREAS, The well known situation of "Hershall the seal lion", at the Ballard Locks in Seattle, is an excellent example of sea mammal predation that is seriously harming an anadromous fish population; and

          WHEREAS, A long-term member of the Washington State Senate, who recently passed away, Senator A.L. "Slim" Rasmussen, had long championed the ultimate solution to the "Hershall" problem, lethal removal; and

          WHEREAS, It is time that the federal government allow that predacious seals and sea lions be killed in order for salmon and steelhead to be allowed a reasonable chance to survive;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and congress will recognize the wisdom of Senator A.L. "Slim" Rasmussen and grant the state of Washington the authority to protect its anadromous fish stocks by lethal removal of problem seals or sea lions.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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