Ways You Can Help!

Want to Help the Seals?
What's Up? As of now, a "guideline" rope is placed at Children's Pool Beach during pupping season, December 15 - May 15. The California Coastal Commission will meet in San Diego from July 11-13, 2012 to vote on keeping the rope up year- round or to take it down during the non-pupping season, May 16 - Dec 14.

Please send a hard copy letter (emails not accepted) no later than June 1, 2012 to:

California Coastal Commission
Attention:  Kanani Brown
7575 Metropolitan Drive, Suite 103
San Diego, California 92108-4402
RE: In favor of the Year-Round Rope at Children's Pool Beach, File 6-11-078

Please be polite and respectful in your letter. Tell them why you think a year round rope would serve the seals well.  Here are some points to make:

1. A guideline rope is a good visual cue to visitors unfamiliar with seal behavior;
2. Seals have to “haul out” or come out of the cold water to rest at regular intervals in order to survive;
3. The guideline rope will help protect the seals from being “flushed” into the water by people getting too close to them;
4. Public benefit of a marine mammal viewing experience in a natural setting far outweighs those who "recreate" at Casa Beach, especially since there are so many other available beaches;
5. Use of the rope will help enforce the MMPA, which states that it is against the law to disturb marine mammals.
6. Casa Beach is a rare living laboratory for children and adults to learn about nature;
7. There are very few beaches which meet their physiological needs and are not already used by people;

Alternately, relate some of your own personal experiences at Casa Beach.

Thank you for writing and sending this letter before June 5th. You can send in several letters, if you wish.

With your help, San Diego can remain one of the nation's finest cities and provide a richer outdoor educational experience at this beach for the thousands of visitors and locals in our "fair" city.

Thanks LocalWally for your support and explaining the Seal issues in a unique way.

Report Seal Harassment
Please contact Dan Daneri at Parks and Rec if you see anyone harassing the seals: ddaneri@sandiego.gov 619-235-5914.

Latest Casa Beach News:
Pupping season is here, and the council members need to hear from their constituents that better protection for the seals is needed. Shared use isn’t working. SB 428 gave them the power to create a marine mammal park at Casa Beach and will do much to end the existing controversy.

They should review ways to end harassment of the seals and enforce compliance with City, State, and Federal laws. The best way to protect the seals is to close the beach, especially during pupping season. This is a critical time period when pups are bonding with their moms and when pups often get abandoned or separated from their moms due to humans being on the beach. Viewing access to the seals is more important than physical access to the beach. Children, residents and visitors from around the world want the harbor seal rookery protected and preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

We realize that closing the beach is controversial. As an interim measure, urge them to maintain the rope across the beach on a year-round basis. Handwritten letters generally have more impact, but emails and phone calls are helpful. Click HERE for sample letters to use as templates that you can modify using your own words. There are ones for adults, students, older and younger children. The more letters that are sent, the more likely it is the Mayor and City Council will listen. Letters can be sent to the Mayor and City Council members at 202 C St, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.

We hope you can attend a Court Hearing to keep the rope up after May 15 at Children's Pool. It will be at 1:30 PM on Friday, May 13, 2011 in Dept. 60 (Judge Lisa Foster) at 330 W. Broadway St, .downtown. Bryan Pease of APRL will be representing the seals. Please attend and show your support if you can. There is free 3 hour parking at Horton Plaza.

As always, we are looking for new Docents. We provide excellent training and have been active in educating the public and protecting the seals.

To find your City Council member, please click HERE.  Please also consider emails, phone calls and letters to:

Mayor Jerry Sanders: (619) 236-6330, 202 C Street, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101
JerrySanders@sandiego.gov

District 1: Sherri Lightner (619) 236-6611 where Casa Beach is located in La Jolla
SherriLightner@sandiego.gov

District 2: Kevin Faulconer (619) 236-6622
kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov

District 3: Todd Gloria (619) 236-6633
toddgloria@sandiego.gov

District 4: Tony Young (619) 236-6644
anthonyyoung@sandiego.gov

District 5: Carl DeMaio (619) 236-6655
carldemaio@sandiego.gov

District 6 : Lorie Zapf (619) 236-6616
loriezapf@sandiego.gov

District 7: Marti Emerald (619) 236-6677
martiemerald@sandiego.gov

District 8: David Alvarez (619) 236-6688
davidalvarez@sandiego.gov