SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – San Diego officials are seeking a temporary emergency closure of a portion of Point La Jolla at Ellen Scripps Browning Park to protect the sea lion rookery from tourists during the annual sea lion pupping season, it was announced Tuesday.
The city is seeking an emergency coastal development permit that will effectively close the tip of Point La Jolla beyond the seawall beginning at Boomer Beach and ending at the access stairway leading down to the bluff. The effort is informed by California Coastal Commission guidance for the shoreline rookery.
“We have called for responsible tourism, met with stakeholders, installed new signage, and yet crowds continue to seek up-close encounters with the sea lions,” said Councilman Joe LaCava, who represents Council District 1.