ARTICLE NOTES

Who has priority over La Jolla Childrens Pool, Seals or People? -local hthma student researches with group to get the facts on la jolla childrens pool.

by ashley matthews

NOTES PAGES

STUFF

http://www.lajollaseals.com/controversy.html

The breakwater wall was built upon a large rock shelf known since 1887 as Seal Rock and Seal Rock Point. First hand accounts by native La Jollan's indicate the presence of harbor seals in the area before and after construction of the wall.

The first is that the City of San Diego has failed, and even actually refused, to enforce Municipal Code Section 63.0102. (b) (10), which makes it “unlawful” for anyone “within any public . . . beach areas within the City of San Diego” to “disturb, or maltreat any bird or animal, either wild or domesticated . . . . “ It is a violation of the City’s own ordinance to harm the seals at Casa Beach.

The second claim is that the dredging of Casa Beach will violate California Code of Civil Procedure Section 526(a), which provides that a judgment may be sought “restraining and preventing any illegal expenditure of, waste of, or injury to, the estate, funds, or other property of a . . . city . . . .”

More stuff

http://www.aprl.org/seals.php

In May 2007, APRL sponsored a Zogby opinion poll to see where San Diegans stand on protecting the seals at Children's Pool Beach. The results: over 80% of San Diegans and 91% of La Jollans want increased protection for the seals

BLECH

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070516-0806-1mu16seals.html

The survey also shows that 80 percent of respondents want to have a year-round rope barrier to separate the seals from humans. Currently, the rope is up from Dec. 15 to May 15 – during the marine mammals' birthing and pupping season.

LAW

http://sealwatch.org/law.html

The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) was enacted in 1972, and has been amended and updated since. The last comprehensive reauthorization of the law occurred in 1994 and expired in 1999. Since then, reauthorization efforts have stalled as some members of Congress have attempted to weaken these important federal protections. The law remains in effect.