The rope that has been used during the seal pupping season, which began on December 15 and
ended on May 15, has been removed. This concluded the period of time that the area was off-limits to the public.
With the rope gone, people are able to get quite close to the seals, which may not be a good thing for either the seals or the people. People have, on occasion, harassed the seals, and have even tried to pet them. With this kind of behavior, it may be just a matter of time before someone gets bitten.
Even when the barrier was in place, visitors, including busloads of tourists, flocked to the sand near the rope and stood on the breakwater walkway to observe and photograph them. The seals have become a big and well-known attraction. This season there were forty-four new seal pups born.
Several seal advocates asked people to sign petitions in support of a permanent barrier so that they may have them when they attend a meeting of the San Diego City Council. This meeting is for the consideration of a proposal regarding the installation of a year-around barrier and employing a Park Ranger at the site.
