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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Protester Locks In His Support For Sea Lions Man Chains Himself In Cage To Protest Fisheries’ Policy To Protect Steelhead

Associated Press

An animal rights activist chained himself inside a floating cage used to capture sea lions near the Ballard locks on Wednesday and police had to cut him out.

Benjamin White of Friends of Animals said he occupied the cage to prevent any more sea lions from being captured.

Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service, said there was no immediate decision on possible charges.

White chained himself inside the cage with bicycle locks. White, speaking on a cellular telephone inside the cage shortly after he entered, said officers in a police boat told him to leave but he intended to remain inside until they cut him out.

He was cut out a few hours later.

State and federal wildlife agents want to capture sea lions to prevent them from wiping out a run of steelhead that gather at the locks. Officials want to kill one sea lion, known as No. 17 or “Hondo,” that was captured last week.

White says sea lions are being made the scapegoats for bad habitat management.

But NMFS spokesman Joe Scordino said there is habitat for the steelhead to spawn - if they could only get there. He said the sea lions are responsible for taking as much as 65 percent of this particular run. It’s expected there are fewer than 100 fish returning this winter - so there aren’t enough to let the sea lions have their fill.

Following months of contentious debate, the NMFS recently approved the state’s request for permission to kill sea lions as a last resort to protect the Lake Washington steelhead.

Before “lethal removal” can occur, the state must ensure that all feasible and practical nonlethal removal methods have been exhausted.