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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2016
New barriers, inÀatable air dancers deployed against sea lions
the Baja Peninsula, the ani-
mals migrate as far north as
Alaska in search of food.
Pesky pinnipeds
may stay until
food runs out
Favorite haunt
By EDWARD STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
The Port of Astoria will
partner with students in
Knappa High School’s weld-
ing program to create barri-
ers to sea lions on docks at the
East End Mooring Basin. The
inÀatable air dancers could
also go up next week.
Robert Evert, the Port’s
permit and project manager,
said the Port met last week
with of¿cials from the state
Department of Fish and Wild-
life and National Marine Fish-
eries Service, which over-
sees the Marine Mammal
Protection Act covering sea
lions. Executive Director Jim
Knight said of¿cials with the
National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric
Administration,
which oversees the ¿sheries
service, said the pipe barriers
are effective and widely used
along the West Coast.
Evert said the Port then
contacted Topper industries,
which quoted the agency
about $500,000 for installa-
tion. Through the deal with
Knappa, he said the Port will
spend about $13,000 on mate-
rials, along with a $2,000
donation to the school from
Tim Hill, co-owner of J&H
Boatworks and Columbia
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Sea lions and harbor seals lay on the docks at the East End Mooring Basin.
Steel Supply in Astoria and a
Port tenant.
Tim Kamppi, a welding
instructor at Knappa, recently
mentioned students would
fabricate about 2 miles worth
of railing for the Port. Port
staff will install the 2-inch
pipes 18 to 24 inches above
the docks’ surface, with a
cable in between to prevent
sea lions from slipping under-
neath the pipes.
Knight said the Port can
amend the 2015-16 budget to
include the additional expense
and should probably budget
the same for the West End
Mooring Basin, in case sea
lions move there.
Sea lions back
“That’s just a Band-Aid
on a massive gash,” Commis-
sioner James Campbell said,
pointing to the larger issue of
Local pot tax heads to November ballot
City Council
also approves
gift to Oregon
Fallen Badge
Foundation
By DERRICK
DePLEDGE
The Daily Astorian
A 3 percent local tax on rec-
reational marijuana will be on
the November ballot.
Voters will get to decide
whether to add the local tax
on top of a 17 percent state tax
that will be imposed once the
state licenses retail marijuana
outlets.
Consumers are now paying
a temporary 25 percent tax on
recreational pot sold at med-
ical marijuana dispensaries
through the end of the year.
Astoria Police Chief Brad
Johnston has estimated that
the local tax could bring in
roughly $100,000 annually.
The Astoria City Council
voted unanimously Tuesday
night to place the tax question
on the ballot after clarifying
that the local tax would not be
applied to medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana is tax
free under state law.
In other business Tuesday
night, the City Council:
• Held a moment of silence
for Seaside Police Sgt. Jason
Goodding, who was shot and
killed while trying to make an
arrest on a felony assault war-
rant this month.
• Issued a $1,000 gift to the
Oregon Fallen Badge Founda-
tion, which organized a memo-
rial service for Goodding at the
Seaside Civic and Convention
Center last Friday.
sea lion predation.
After mostly emptying out,
the pinnipeds are once again
packing the docks at the East
End Mooring Basin, where
Port of¿cials claim they have
caused more than $100,000 in
damage. State wildlife of¿-
cials are already on-site trap-
ping and branding the ani-
mals, part of a 19-year study
of their movement, feeding
habits and migration patterns,
amid protests by groups like
the Sea Lion Defense Brigade.
An increasing number of
sea lions have been ventur-
ing into the Columbia River
in recent years foraging for
smelt, salmon and any other
available prey, as their tradi-
tional food web along the Cal-
ifornia coastline has collapsed
amid warm El Niño water
conditions. With rookeries in
Southern California and off
The Port’s East End Moor-
ing Basin has become a favor-
ite haul-out and Àash point
for the issue, with more than
2,300 sea lions counted in one
day at the basin in March by
the Department of Fish and
Wildlife. The Port has tried
myriad ways to scare the ani-
mals off and prevent damage
to the docks — from survey-
ing tape and beach balls to a
fake orca and soon the inÀat-
able air dancers — but to lit-
tle avail.
Port Commissioner Bill
Hunsinger, a commercial
fisherman, has championed
the formation of a commit-
tee to address sea lion preda-
tion on endangered salmon
runs. Hunsinger had wanted
the Port to lead the effort,
but other commission-
ers pulled back, saying the
agency should focus on get-
ting sea lions off the docks
while supporting efforts on
predation.
Knight said state of¿-
cials told him there are no
state or federal resources to
put toward the sea lion issue,
adding the only way they will
ultimately leave is through the
loss of the food source. “Until
that point, the agencies have
no expectations that the sea
lions will ever go away,” he
said.
Razor clam digs on at Copalis, Mocrocks
EO Media Group
LONG BEACH, Wash.
— Razor clam diggers can
count on openings begin-
ning Friday at Copalis and
Mocrocks beaches, Washing-
ton state shell¿sh managers
announced. Long Beach also
remains open to clam digging
on afternoon or evening tides
through March 10.
The Washington Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife
approved a two-day opening on
Friday and Saturday at Copa-
lis and three days of digging
from Friday through Sunday at
Mocrocks on evening tides after
marine toxin tests showed the
clams are safe to eat.
Dan Ayres, a state coastal
shell¿sh manager, recom-
mends that diggers arrive
at the beach an hour or two
before low tide for best
results. However, digging
is not allowed on any beach
before noon.
The upcoming dig at is
scheduled on the following
dates, beaches and low tides:
• Friday: 4:33 p.m., 0.0
feet, Copalis, Mocrocks,
Long Beach
• Saturday: 5:17 p.m.,
-0.1 feet, Copalis, Mocrocks,
Long Beach
• Sunday: 5:56 p.m., -0.2
feet, Mocrocks, Long Beach
For additional informa-
tion about low tides at Long
Beach, go to http://wdfw.
wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/
razorclams/current.html
MEMORIAL GOLF BENEFIT
FOR SGT JASON GOODDING
Saturday, February 20 th , 2016
8:00 am Shotgun Start
SEASIDE GOLF COURSE
451 Avenue U, Seaside, OR
503-738-5261
(Possible 2nd Shotgun Start at Noon depending on turnout)
4 Person Scramble - $46 per Person
18 Holes plus Cart - Includes BBQ
ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED
TO THE GOODDING FAMILY
FREE Taxi Service to and from Benefit
Donated by Alpha Shuttle: 503-440-7777
NOT a Golfer? NOT a Problem!
Ask about Volunteering to Help!
Contact Casey at the Seaside Golf Course: 503-738-5261