Comments: Widely displayed in zoos, aquaria, and circuses.

With increasing populations in southwestern Canada, there have been increased complaints from fisherman about interference with fishing operations and damage to gear and stocks of herring, squid, and cod (Bigg 1988). At Chittendon Locks near Seattle, Washington, since the 1980s, adult males have been a problem by preying on already depleted steelhead populations. Success of translocations of "problem" sea lions preying on steelhead near Seattle, Washington, has been limited by the return of some of the translocated individuals, from release points as far as southern California (Reeves et al. 1992).

See Reeves et al. (1992) for history of exploitation.