Walter is back.
The California sea lion’s return comes with concerns about public safety at Powell River’s south harbour, particularly in light of a recent incident in Richmond last weekend.
City of Powell River announced Wednesday, May 24, that it will be closing the harbour’s fish cleaning stations.
City manager of operations Shawn Cator said the city has had fish cleaning stations at the harbour for decades, but it will temporarily close them to eliminate Walter’s food source.
“The sea lion’s behaviour has become a little more aggressive recently, so this is an opportunity for us to make it move on,” said Cator.
The city is asking that all fish be cleaned at residences or at sea to lessen the danger of contact with the sea lion.
The incident at Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf on Saturday, May 20, involving a California sea lion highlighted the public safety issue of feeding the wild animals. A young girl was dragged into the water by a California sea lion after people had been feeding it from the pier.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada officer Ben Rahier confirmed that a large California sea lion has returned to Powell River’s Westview harbours and that it is probably the same one as last summer.
California sea lions are far less common around Powell River than their local counterparts, Steller sea lions, said Rahier.
“It's a big bull, same type as was here last year,” he said. “Likely, it's the same guy back again.”
Rahier said there needs to be more public awareness around the dangers the large animals present. Bacteria inside a sea lion’s mouth can cause serious infection or death if someone is bit.
After spending a few weeks last May hanging around the south harbour ingratiating himself, Walter the sea lion mysteriously disappeared.
Initially, the animal had been seen by some as something of a novelty around the harbour, but it became increasingly bolder, often approaching boaters and barking loudly as they tied up at the wharf.
Harbour wharfinger David Carbery posted signs telling the public not to feed the sea lion after reports came in about it being hand-fed. Then it disappeared.
The sea lion had not been seen until recently when it reappeared at the harbour.
Rahier said he thinks the sea lion moved on last year after fishing slowed and it was not finding enough food. He said he hopes the same thing happens this year.
“The last thing we want to do,” he added, “is to have to euthanize the animal because people fed it.”
