blog 23

Judge orders seals away from La Jolla children's beach
July 20, 2009 1:00 pm

A San Diego County Superior Court judge today ordered the city of San Diego to shoo the harbor seals off the beach at the Children's Pool in La Jolla by Thursday.

But an attorney representing seal lovers plans to seek a restraining order from a federal judge that would block the city from removing the seals.

Superior Court Judge Yuri Hoffman said today that state law requires the beach be kept clean for children under a 1931 deed to the property.

Attorneys for the city asked Hoffman to delay his ruling, noting that the Legislature in Sacramento has voted to allow the city to decide whether the seals should stay or go.


But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has yet to sign the legislation, and Hoffman, increasingly impatient with the city, said he was not willing to wait until the governor makes his decision.

In the two-decade fight over the seals on the tiny beach, federal courts have sided with seal lovers, noting that the creatures are protected by federal law. The standoff between federal court and superior court has cost San Diego hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

If the bill is signed in Sacramento, the City Council plans to declare the beach a marine sanctuary and allow the seals to remain.

Attorney Bryan Pease, representing the pro-seal side, said he plans to seek a restraining order from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to delay Hoffman's ruling. Pease called Hoffman's ruling both extreme and illegal.

Under the ruling by Hoffman, the city has 72 hours to disperse the seals into the water, probably by the use of loud noises.

-- Tony Perry

complete news article

This news article is talking about a judge wanting to kick out the seals from the La Jolla children's pool to keep it a safe and clean environment for the children. People believe the beach is better off without the seals and their fecal matter.
The most important information is that there are organizations that are willing to help the seals keep their home.
Some of the information this article is missing is the science (or biology) behind it like stating what fecal matter can do to the human body or how it can harm the environment.
This information helps me with my Media Saves The Beach project because I am focusing on this exact location and animal, and this conteversy.