OR

Everyone has a strong opinion, no middle-of-the-road here…

“The children or the seals?”

The Children’s Pool  in La Jolla was built in 1931 with the funds and support of grand dame Ellen Browning Scripps, for the purpose of providing a safe place for children to enjoy the sea.  Long before there were State Beaches lining our coastline, access was much more limited and safe areas like this one were a precious commodity.

In the 1970’s, harbor seals and sea lions began to take to this sheltered beach, their population growing beyond the size of their favored Seal Rock, located nearby.  As their numbers continued to grow, human occupation of the Childern’s Pool became more difficult. Eventually, the pool became unhealthy due to bacteria levels resulting from the animals’ waste.

“Now we find ourselves in the middle of a stinky sticky situation…”

The question that has busied San Diego’s city courts and councils is the current interpretation of the original intention. The Children’s Pool be habited by, of course, children. Being a coastal issue, the harbor seal challenge goes beyond personal opinion.

The Coastal Commission and the Marine Mammal Protection Act demand the least invasive resolution possible. Other cities have had success by irritating their seal population with recorded animal sounds, such a dogs barking.

“A barking dog soundtrack?”

La Jolla has developed a plan to include this tactic, and other irritant variations, to persuade the seals & sea lions to leave the Children’s Pool to the children.  Unlikely to stray far from their happy homes, the seals may very likely relocate a short distance away to a neighboring beach.

One has to wonder if human visitors will stray from the Children’s Pool in order to avoid the amplified dog barking, scheduled to be broadcast from 6 am to sunset. Daily. Not to mention the barking from the upset seals.

“A veritable cacophony of discord reverberating along the coast…”

This issue has drawn attention far beyond the golden beaches of La Jolla. Animal rights groups will have something to say about the implementation of this plan.  Not only must La Jolla plan for the animal relocation, but also provide for the safety of the city employee dipatched to this duty.  The plan comes with a proposed budget for one year coming in at nearly $700,000. Yep, you read right… what the ???!?!?!?

“Give me & my staff a megaphone,  cots and keep the coffee coming… we’ll stay up 24/7 barking for $700 grand a year!”

Is it the responsibility of the city to resist the call of the wild and turn away a healthy population of seals in order to restore the traditional intent and use of the Pool?  When funds are tight for everyone, from Wall Street to Main Street, is this fiscal responsibility? Oh, and what about the retirement community across the street from Children’s Pool. Will the incessant dog barking remind them fondly of little Fido from their youth? Uh, nope…I think not.

“So, who’s irritating who?”

La Jolla is bound by extensive legal proceedings to find a resolution to this lengthy impasse. Children need a safe haven, seals need to be seals, and area visitors & residents deserve harmony befitting such a gorgeous stretch of coast. Tourism matters in our finest city’s economy, and she will always have bills to pay.  The resolution needs to be a win-win for ALL concerned, lest our tourists swim away to other shores along with the seals.