Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON STATE : Rapacious Sea Lions Face Rubber Arrows

Wildlife officials desperate to save migrating salmon and steelhead began firing rubber-tipped arrows at the sea lions responsible for decimating the fish runs through the Ballard Locks. Washington state Wildlife Department spokesman Bob Byrne said the arrows will fly at the locks weekday mornings through March. “The goal of the rubber tips is to use this negative stimuli--pain--coupled with an underwater sound so that the sound becomes the negative stimuli,” Byrne said. Byrne said the department’s goal is to save 1,600 fish in an expected run of 2,100. But he said workers will be lucky to spare 900.