City of San Diego Local Coastal Program Amendment Regarding Children’s Pool

The City of San Diego sought to revise public access and marine resource protection policies in its Land Use Plan (LUP) to allow a seasonal closure at Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla during the Harbor Seal pupping season (from December 15 to May 15 of every year). The amendment provides special protection of the Children’s Pool seal population during pupping season. During the five-month closure period, beach access would be prohibited. However the breakwater surrounding the beach area would remain open throughout the year.

In the 1990s, harbor seals began to regularly “haul out,” at Children’s Pool Beach in large numbers. As a result, there has been ongoing conflict about how the seals, and their habitat, should be protected and how seals and people should share the beach. This LCP Amendment creates a balance of human and marine life use and will be revisited in five years to analyze the efficacy of the seasonal closures. Less restrictive methods to protect the seals such as a partial rope and public education have failed. During the hearing, Commissioners were provided with videos of humans intentionally and unintentionally harassing the seals and pups. Hopefully the closure during pupping season will cut down on the harassment of seals and the conflict about public access will lessened.