Fishermen Shoot Sea Lions in Battle Over Salmon

Six  federally protected sea lions were shot to death along the Columbia River in Washington yesterday as they lay in traps set to move them to another region, AP reports. Three elephant seals were killed the previous day in California. All were apparently the victims of a battle between fishermen and the animals that feed on endangered salmon. Officials had planned to move up to 85 seals a year out of the Washington area, but have now suspended trapping as they investigate. (More elephant seals stories.)