Sea lion squatters destroying fishing dock

A dock mostly used by fishermen is being destroyed by a sea lion colony that have torn down wooden barricades and caused the dock to sink slightly under their weight.

A photographer in Oregon walked along the dock, filming as the resting sea lions lept into the water.

As he walks along the dock, the sea lions jump off two at a time and the walkway can be seen rising as weight is unloaded.

He is forced to walk over a wooden barricade with high-visibility netting that was razed by the mammals before he can make it to the end of the dock.

The video was shot at Rainier on the Columbia River, which divides Oregon and Washington.

It was uploaded to Facebook last week by Cowley's Photography.

Fishermen in the city have complained about sea lions damaging docks along the river.

Residents are also unhappy with their noise and smell.

The city erected the temporary fencing which was destroyed by the sea lions last year in a failed attempt to prevent them from populating the dock, according to CNN.

It is believed the hundreds of lions overtaking Rainier's docks are scouting the Columbia River for fish to feed on.