I didn't see anywhere in the article that it was that recreational fishermen were competing with the animals. It said this: "Those favoring the removal say the sea lions are damaging salmon runs listed under the Endangered Species Act and protected at great expense."
However, I believe that salmon are there for the wild animals - orca, sea lion, whatever. I don't eat salmon (actually, I avoid all salt water fish) because their shrinking numbers mean that more marine mammals are losing food sources.
There is a reason why those sea lions are coming inland - it's because they are slowly losing the battle against humans and are being forced to become creative. This is like when wolves start ranging into cities and people freak out - well, if you destroy their habitats, they have to go somewhere. Solution: DON'T DESTROY THEIR HABITATS AND FOOD SOURCE. We have to share the planet with everyone, we can't just rape everything for our own selfish wants. Notice I say WANTS, not NEEDS.
So maybe they ARE damaging populations under the ESA, which is a different story than commercial or recreational fishing. But still, there is ALWAYS a better solution than death.
