YOU’RE INVITED: Celebrating Seal Sitters’ founders

Busy week for Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, as we’ve been reporting. All the while, volunteers have been planning an event to honor the two women who founded the nonprofit more than a decade ago, and you’re invited:

In early August of 2007, an extraordinary and quite unexpected harbor seal baby boom hit Alki Beach and the shores of West Seattle. In the ensuing scramble to protect these vulnerable pups, writer Brenda Peterson and photographer Robin Lindsey came together as strangers, forging an enduring alliance and a grass-roots group of concerned West Seattle residents that would become the full-fledged and high-profile Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Seal Sitters.

Seal Sitters invites you to a special celebration with our founders. Hear Robin and Brenda share their many stories in a lively setting – with an opportunity to ask any and all questions about their experiences and Seal Sitters’ history.

Robin will be stepping back from her full-time Seal Sitters role. After 13 years with Seal Sitters, she would love the opportunity to show her appreciation to colleagues, volunteers, and members of the public who have shared not only their common passion to protect wildlife, but treasured friendship as well.

SEAL SITTERS FOUNDERS EVENT
Sunday, November 3, 2:00-5:00 pm
The Hall at Fauntleroy
9131 California Ave SW

PROGRAM
2:00 PM Doors open for a reception with refreshments and no-host bar
3:00 PM “A Conversation with Robin and Brenda”
Learn about the history of Seal Sitters in a moderated, animated chat.
Audience Q&A to follow.
The celebration continues until 5:00 PM.

THE EVENT IS FREE, BUT YOU MUST RSVP BY NOVEMBER 1 TO ATTEND.
Space is limited and registration may close earlier if capacity is reached.
RSVP here and include your name and the name of any guest attending with you. If the guest is not an adult, include his or her age.

Though that deadline is still two weeks away, the sooner you can RSVP the better, as organizers are hoping to get a tentative crowd count ASAP. And in case you are wondering, this is NOT a fundraiser – just a party!

q October 17, 2019 (1:14 pm)

Isn’t the exploding seal population potentially a big part of why salmon populations are dwindling? We want salmon populations to recover so that orcas can eat them. It’s a tough situation.

WSB October 17, 2019 (2:16 pm)

Not a “big part,” no. Certainly, they eat fish. They can’t get out of the water and go get something else at the supermarket (we humans DO have alternatives to eating salmon, however). The biggest sea lion/salmon conflict isn’t our area but places like this:
https://www.sealsitters.org/news/bonneville.html
- John October 17, 2019 (2:44 pm)
  
  I have to disagree with wsb on the seal issue. It is a very large part of the issue with salmon. For another time. Great job Seal Sitters
  - q October 18, 2019 (9:11 am)
    
    “Scientists estimate that in 2016, seals consumed anywhere between 5.2
    and 26.8 million juvenile Chinook, a wide range. A single seal may eat
    around 1.4 million juvenile Chinook per month, they report. The best
    estimate, which scientists admit may be incorrect, is that there are
    about 19,000 seals competing for food in the Puget Sound area.””But the problem is, salmon also face a slew of other challenges,
    including hydropower, hatcheries, habitat, disease, and contaminants.
    Scientists told commissioners they don’t know whether killing seals and
    sea lions will do anything at all. They discussed the example of hake, a
    fish that also preys on salmon. If there were fewer seals and sea lions
    eating hake, would hake eat more salmon, creative negative unintended
    consequences?”Complex and not a settled issue.

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