California sea lions and other sea lion species interact extensively with fisheries, causing entanglement mortality and becoming targets of lethal control in conflicts over fish resources.
Sea lion welfare involves a recurring tension between their successful population recovery and conflict with fisheries that creates lethal pressure. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning deaths and sublethal injuries from netting constriction around flippers and bodies. At river mouths, successful salmon fishing by sea lions triggers conflict with commercial fishers and fishery managers, leading to lethal removal programs. Effective non-lethal deterrence — including acoustic devices, trained deterrence animals, and physical barriers at fishing sites — reduces conflict without lethal welfare cost to sea lions. Addressing root causes of conflict through fisheries management that accommodates natural predator behavior offers longer-term solutions.