Although it’s true that La Jolla’s Casa Beach — better known
as Children’s Pool — may have started out as a place for swimmers, for the past
decade a colony of harbor seals has used its protected waters as a safe haven,
attracting thousands of visitors every year who want to catch a glimpse of the
southernmost seal rookery in the United States.
But a recent ruling by the 4th District Court of Appeals
could jeopardize the beach’s status as a home for the seals. The court ignored
a public opinion poll in which eight out of 10 San Diegans supported preserving
the rookery, then ordered that the beach be dredged and the seals removed in
order to comply with the site’s original designation as a public park and beach
exclusively for children.
Proponents of restoring the site to a children’s beach have
called the decision a long-awaited victory, saying the seals contaminate the
water. Conservationists, on the other hand, have decried the ruling as a swan
song for the only mainland seal rookery between
California
Barbara
However, the ruling isn’t just bad news for seal lovers; it
also affects local residents, as noted by UCSD professor emeritus and coastal
oceanography and sedimentation specialist Douglas L. Inman, who said the
decision to dredge the beach would have an undeniable impact on the rate of
cliff erosion in the surrounding areas.
The San Diego City Council has offered a compromise that’s
in the best interests of both conservationists and residents: allowing beach
access during summer but roping off the area from December to May to
accommodate the seals’ birthing and pupping season.
With this solution, no dredging is required, sparing both
the seals and the local cliffs while also offering children a safe place to
swim during the warmer months.
San Diego City Attorney Michael Aguirre said he intends to
appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court — the court must take this
compromise into consideration.
Otherwise, it will be a sad and unnecessary ending to a
treasured chapter of local history.
