Do Orcas need sockeye salmon for food?

Bellingham WA

Description

The folks at the Lummi reservation seem to have gotten behind the movement to remove Northwest hydroelectric dams in order to improve salmon runs. I do not think that there is ample evidence that dam removal would achieve the desired result. Why not think about this problem in another way? Northwest salmon runs are plagued with predation problems from seal and seal lions. I heard something that you might find interesting. Orcas have the reputation of preying upon not only seals and sea lions, but pods have been documented ganging up on the largest Whales out at sea and biting off their tongues while the huge mammals inhale schools of small fish. Upon killing the whales, they would feed on them. If the Orcas can do that, then they must not be in danger of starvation when they are not supplied with their favorite delicacy, the egg clusters bitten from the belly of sockeye salmon. There might be something to gain by luring the predatory seal lions into traps and releasing them to the pods of Orcas. I hear they like to bounce them around like beach balls before devouring them. On a slightly different subject. The Alaskan native tribes consider beaver tails to be a delicacy. Natives have traditionally utilized many types of marine creatures for food. I wonder if the Lummis have a recipe for smoked sea lion? There must be a lot of tasty meat under their blubber. Might prove out to be a marketable product. thanks, Bill