Sea lions invade Newport boat. Poll: Do they have a right to be there?
August 26th, 2008, 10:34 am · 7 Comments · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
A group of sea lions have found a new home in the Newport Harbor, basking for weeks on top of a catamaran and irking bay front residents who have to listen to them bark all night.
The city has been grappling with the sea lion issue since 2005, when they sank a 50-foot boat. The sea lions have some how learned how to jump onto boats. Read more of the story here.
The recent case has kept residents up throughout the night, with little they can do about the constant noise issue.
What do you think about the sea lion invasion?
The residents should have known what they were getting into when purchasing a home in the harbor. Sea life comes with the territory.
The harbor belongs to the sea life, NOT the rich and famous of Newport Beach.
Humans boats are in the Sea Lions territory. Humans are in the wrong here…the Sea Lions are doing what comes naturally to them. If a large ROCK was in the middle of the Harbor, the Sea Lions would also be sunning themselve on that. No difference. So I say to the residents: You chose to live near the water…if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!
The Sea Lions are a part of the Sea. Its sad that a few selfish people can ruin the enjoyment of so many others. The Sea Lions are just being themselves. Its not like they have it out for these old curmudgeons. Sea life was here long before man made the harbor. if you can’t live with it, MOVE.
First of all, its hard to feel sympathy for the residents due to their affluence and the fact that by no means are they limited to living in a harbor. Sea lions accumulate seasonally and their sounds are simply an element of being near the sea.
Secondly, to those who make statements about the sea lions owning the harbor, they are ignoring their own acts that displace natural wildlife. Almost anyone writing these comments most likely lives in a house that was once the natural habitat of countless animals and I am sure that they take measures to protect their private property and objects, even if they conflict with nature.
The problem is the seals and they are damaging property and creating a nuisance to the local residents. The solution is not to force boat owners to destroy their boats or remove their boats from the harbor. It is to work collectively to deter the seals from the harbor.
The mammal protection act is too strict and there are many non-lethal deterrents that are illegal that would be effective. This is an example of an ineffective law that does not comply with the natural laws of reality. Because they are protected, the seal populations have exploded in volume and at some point a great many will probably die due to “nature,” returning to its natural balance.
I will continue by asking two questions for readers to ponder:
1.) If the harbor government can legally “strong-arm” a boat owner into destroying their boat or by forcing them out of the harbor. Why don’t they have the authority to kick out seals?
2.) Hypothetically, if seals could invade your car, your home or another object that you considered property, while at the same time the government imposed fines against you or forced your home or property to be destroyed, would you honestly feel that the government was properly performing its function to preserve life, uphold justice and protect private property?
The affluent residents that are complaining about their lack of sleep have much influence and have the time and money required to pressure the local government into taking a “cheap shot” at the usually less affluent and legally undefended boat owners of the nearby moorings. The seals will only proceed to find another place to dry out and moan. It would be a more comprehensive solution and plan if the government could avoid imposing fines to boat owners and forcefully destroying their property and instead work cooperatively with the boat owners who are falling victim to this invasion. Even experts don’t seem to know the solution. Why would it make sense to put the brunt of the pressure on an average boat owner to know how to get rid of them when their hands are tied by an overly restrictive protection law?
I have lived here for forty-six years. Until 2005, it was a rare delight to spot a sea lion within the harbor, and that phenomena took place specifically in the area of the ferry and the Balboa Pavilion, about a mile and a half from the jetty. Two nights ago, I counted thirty sea lions within a 30 sq yd area of moorings located approx. a mile and a half northeast of the pavilion or approx. 3 miles away from the bay’s entrance to the ocean. I don’t know how high their numbers are throughout the rest of our bay nor do I know where these sea lions were living before their recent arrival in this bay. A decrease in their predators’ population (sharks) would possibly cause a dramatic increase in sea lion population but our local waters are experiencing an increase in sharks - hmmmm.
This summer I haven’t seen what used to be a very common site in our bay - fish boils - nor have I seen any fish at all break the waters’ surface. This bay is not a natural support habitat for a high density population of aquatic carnivores. Their natural home is along the rocky coastal shores of our ocean. The ocean is capable of providing these 220 - 660 lb territorial mammals what they require in terms of food as well as an appropriate flushing system to handle the large volume of their daily excretions.
This isn’t a complaint against the flies, the odor, nor the white noise of vicious barking dogs. It is to point out that the ocean shore is the intended habitat of these sea lions. However, within the period of a few years they are opting out of their winter migration pattern in order to give their best fighting effort to protect a sliver of fiberglass domain aboard the dilapidated neglected sinking boats they are so fond of. They are not capable of determining that their crowded living quarters is placing excessive stress on the bay’s natural function and the resultant toxicity will bring an eventual die off amongst them. It is not in the sea lions’ best interest to provide a false sanctuary within the moorings of this bay and it is not in the best interest of this bays’ other fauna and flora to allow its waters to become a cesspool.
I was born and raised in Huntington Beach and grew up surfing up-n-down the coast and I now reside is San Clemente, for the past 16years. In all my years surfing I would see sea lions pop out of the water and never see sharks. But since ’72 the sea lions have been protected and now they’re everywhere, the number of shark of sightings has become daily because of the sea lion population explosion.
I believe something should be done to control them. I don’t really care if someone has money or not, but since the city of NPB does have money, why not give a portion of the harbor to the sea lions with a dedicated dock. Once they get trained on where to go the boats and residents should find some peace. If something doesn’t happen it’ll get way out of control in more than one way.
Do they have a right to be there???
What kind of a question is this?? It’s THEIR home! Newport Beach residents are basically living in their territory. If anything, Newport Beachers should be the ones to move.