Contact:  Brian Gorman                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                      4/4/96

NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE OK'S PERMANENT HOME FOR SEATTLE'S SEA LIONS AT SEA WORLD IN FLORIDA

The fisheries service and Washington State's Department of Fish and Wildlife have accepted the offer and will try to collect the animals so they can be transferred to Sea World of Florida in Orlando.

President Clinton had asked the fisheries service to exhaust all possibilities in trying to find a non-lethal solution to the problem and said he was "delighted" with this result.

Last month, the fisheries service authorized the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife to kill predatory California sea lions that threatened steelhead trout returning to Seattle's Lake Washington to spawn, because 10 years of efforts to deter sea lions from killing the dwindling stocks of steelhead have failed.

Joe Scordino, acting deputy director of the fisheries service's Northwest regional office in Seattle said a "capture team" from the fisheries service and the state's fish and wildlife department would now concentrate on the floating cage in Shilshole Bay, about two miles from the locks, in an effort to capture the targeted sea lions that may haul themselves onto the trap. Sea lions 17, 41, 45, 87 and 225 would be caught and transferred to Sea World if they appear on the float.

"We are, of course, very pleased with Sea World's generous offer," Scordino said. "We've always maintained that the ideal solution to the problem at the locks was finding a facility that could permanently hold these animals. Destroying these sea lions has always been the option of last resort."

According to Scordino, any sea lion that was collected would be held temporarily at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash., until it could be transported to Orlando. None have been collected to date.

Sea World's Florida facility has a two-acre salt-water pool that currently holds about 50 California sea lions, harbor seals and fur seals. Sea World said it would arrange for the transportation of the animals to its facility.

Bob Everitt, regional director for Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the state would comply with the fisheries service's request to concentrate on capturing.

"The state's focus and interest has always been on measures to protect steelhead, not on killing sea lions. The solution to the predation problem caused by a handful of sea lions is to permanently remove them from the Ballard Locks area," Everitt said.

He added, "Sea Word's offer provides for that solution -- if we catch them."

"We sympathize with those working to restore Northwest salmon and steelhead runs and we wanted to assist in the best way Sea World can," said Brad Andrews, Sea World's vice president of zoological operations.

Scordino said his agency's authorization to the state, issued March 13, would remain in effect, including authorization to "lethally remove" any of the five sea lions. He added, however, that the immediate emphasis will be on collecting the sea lions for permanent relocation.

"We're all keeping our fingers crossed," Scordino said. "With luck, one or more of these sea lions will haul out onto the trap and soon be on his way to Florida."