KGMI News
by Alex Gray
FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. – She’s been a Friday Harbor attraction for about two decades and even has her own statue, but now, Popeye the one-eyed seal is in some trouble.
KIRO-7 reports Popeye bit fisherman Gerald Balmer when he didn’t feed her any of his fish last Thursday.
He says she also splashed water at him and his crew.
Balmer says despite the pain and antibiotics, he doesn’t blame Popeye since the popular seal is often hand-fed by tourists.
Michael Milstein with NOAA says hand-feeding marine life is harmful to everyone and they’re installing more signs warning people against it.
Merchants in the harbor that sell food specifically for the seals have agreed to stop doing that.