Many people love the presence of seals and sea lions along La Jolla’s coast. But others view them as a nuisance that has robbed them of a beloved local swimming spot.

Harbor seals nap and play in the surf at Children’s Pool beach, a once beloved children’s beach that has been overrun by the seals.

Harbor seals nap and play in the surf at Children’s Pool beach, a once beloved children’s beach that has been overrun by the seals.

La Jolla, a tony seaside town near San Diego, California, is known for its miles of rugged coastline, nice shops and the world-class Torrey Pines Golf Course. Yet in recent years the town’s close proximity to the ocean has led to the arrival of some controversial visitors from the sea. If we were simply talking about some crabs scuttling around the tide pools at Shell Beach, this wouldn’t be a big issue. But when we start talking about dozens of 300-lb California sea lions taking over La Jolla beaches, then we potentially have a problem.

A mother California sea lion and her pup in front of the soaring sea foam near La Jolla Cove.

A mother California sea lion and her pup in front of the soaring sea foam near La Jolla Cove.

The existence of La Jolla’s pinnipeds (the town’s beaches are home to harbor seals as well as California sea lions) has been both a boon for tourists and a headache for some locals. These marine mammals are loud, smelly and leave puddles of excrement all over the picturesque coastline. To some, however, the most controversial issue with these adorably-lazy beach bums is the set of strict protections they carry around with them as protected marine mammals in the United States.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act was enacted 47 years ago today and protects all species of marine mammals swimming in our country’s waters. This includes the sea lions hanging around La Jolla as well as Florida’s manatees, California’s sea otters and all the species of whale that make vast migrations along both coasts each year. With very few exceptions (native Alaskans, for example, are still able to hunt marine mammals because of the practice’s cultural importance), no one is allowed to hunt or disturb marine mammals in their natural habitats, which includes the miles of dramatic coastline along La Jolla.

A California sea lion examines his place amongst the huddled masses of La Jolla Cove.

A California sea lion examines his place amongst the huddled masses of La Jolla Cove.

While many champion this act as a landmark conservation measure that protects some of our most beloved and charismatic creatures, local residents, who deal with these marine mammals daily, believe the act infringes on their rights to use the coastal land and beaches as they wish. A perfect example of this conflict is playing out on a stretch of sand called Children’s Pool.

This beach, sheltered from vicious ocean waves by a battered concrete seawall that has seen better days, was set aside in 1931 with the understanding that it would always be protected as a safe area for children to swim. But in the 1990s, a group of harbor seals swam into the sheltered spot and established a rookery where they could raise their pups in peace. The amount of seal excrement along the beach and in the water was enough to keep children out of the water. Moreover, the seals are both efficient carnivores and literal shark bait, both of which make them far from ideal swimming buddies! Over the last few decades, Children’s Pool has become a lightning-rod issue between those who tout the rights of local residents and those who believe the seals should take precedence.

Harbor seals: Southern California’s original beach bums.

Harbor seals: Southern California’s original beach bums.

Right now both sides have had to settle. The seals are still lounging around the beach, but the stricter protection that many conservation activists have clamored for has never been fully realized. The beach was recently closed during pupping season (between December 15 and May 15 each year) to prevent people from disturbing the animals and potentially causing a mother seal to flee her pup. But many wanted the beach closed year-round to prevent any human disturbance, which has become more prevalent as tourists vie for the best selfies.

A sign warns visitors not to get too close to seals at the entrance to Children’s Pool beach.

A sign warns visitors not to get too close to seals at the entrance to Children’s Pool beach.

Those who want to see Children’s Pool returned to local children are still fighting in courts to rid the beach of the seals. They received a victory in 2015 when an Orange County Superior Court ruled that it was a violation of state law to close the beach for the winter. The city appealed the ruling to continue the beach closure for pupping season, but no lasting conclusion has been reached yet.

Albeit as someone who is not a La Jolla resident, I definitely come down on the side of protecting these marvelous marine mammals. I thought the presence of the California sea lions and harbor seals on the beaches was truly amazing and was one of my favorite parts of a recent weekend trip to San Diego. In addition to the pinnipeds, hundreds of pelicans were hanging out along the rocky cliffs. Regardless of how the battle over Children’s Pool ends, I strongly recommend bringing a zoom lens to capture pictures of the sea lions and pelicans so as not to endanger yourself or these magnificent wild animals in their natural habitat.

Brown pelicans relaxing on the rocky cliffs near Children’s Beach in La Jolla, California

Brown pelicans relaxing on the rocky cliffs near Children’s Beach in La Jolla, California

Read this for an idea of where to see these creatures if you ever make it to La Jolla.

All photographs by Jack Tamisiea. See more photographs of La Jolla’s seals and sea lions on the Natural Curios Instagram page.

Sources:

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-childrens-pool-20170516-story.html

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/04/tourists-are-loving-sea-lions-to-death-in-la-jolla

https://www.fws.gov/international/laws-treaties-agreements/us-conservation-laws/marine-mammal-protection-act.html