NEMURO, Hokkaido — Despite requests by a committee of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, fishery associations in Nemuro remain baffled by the idea of safeguarding their traditional foe.
"Until now, steller's sea lions were the fishermen's rival. To be asked to protect the mammals would be a disappointment for them," said Hiroshi Yamashita, chairman of the Nemuro Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Fisheries Agency last August estimated that sea lions cause ¥1 billion worth of damage in Hokkaido every year, by tearing fishnets and eating catches.
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