Petersburg receives no outside help with dangerous sea lion

PETERSBURG­ – The Petersburg Borough continues to deal with an aggressive sea lion that’s been bothering people in the harbors all summer.

Mayor Mark Jensen wrote a letter August 9 in response to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s lack of assistance in the matter.

“We find it unfortunate that the National Marine Fisheries Service is unwilling to take any active role in removing this threat to our children, citizens, economic base and our quality of life,” Jensen wrote in the letter.

Harbormaster Glorianne Wollen said the NMFS response was minimal—essentially advising the borough to continue monitoring the situation and that because it is a local matter it should be taken care of locally.

Wollen said there are plenty of sea lions around the harbors but this one is particularly aggressive.

“He has gone after people that aren’t even near the fish cleaning stations,” Wollen said. “He’s taken fish out of people’s hands. He’s always lurking.”

She adds the borough has been encouraging people to not dump fish waste in the inner harbor all summer and even banned the action after creating an ordinance in July.

Jensen encouraged residents to report any injuries or property damages caused by the sea lion to the NMFS.

“It is the opinion of the Petersburg Borough that the National Marine Fisheries Service will be liable for any such event,” the letter states.

Jensen Cc’d the letter to U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich along with U.S. Representative Don Young.