Proposed rules aim to silence sea lions

Newport Beach’s harbor commission is set to consider whether the

first step in stifling noisy sea lions near harbor-side homes is to

make it illegal to feed the marine mammals.

The commission has the power to recommend new ordinances to the

City Council. Today, the body is scheduled to discuss two proposals

that, if ultimately approved by the council, would ban feeding

wildlife and throwing items such as discarded fish into Newport Bay.

The proposed bans, intended to discourage sea lions from spending

time in Newport Harbor by limiting food sources, only mark a starting

point, Harbor Commissioner Seymour Beek said. Beek considers the

animals’ presence in the harbor to be a serious problem, since

animals can damage boats by lounging on vessels or keeping residents

up at all hours with their loud barking.

“How would you like to pay $5 million for a house, and you can’t

go to sleep because a sea lion is barking all night?” Beek asked.

“People think the sea lions are cute. But to the people who hear them

all night, they’re not.”

As for what options exist to deter sea lions in the harbor, Beek

said the harbor commission could use advice from marine experts who

know how to deal with the animals. City harbor resources division

staffers plan to gather information in the near future by touring the

harbor with a representative from the National Marine Fisheries

Service.

Harbor resources staff recommended both bans to the commission. In

a report to the commission, harbor resources manager Tom Rossmiller

compiled a list of sea lion countermeasures that have been attempted

elsewhere. Many of those methods -- such as annoying animals with

noise and frightening sea lions with underwater firecrackers --

Rossmiller described as ineffective.

One idea that does seem to deter the animals from hanging around,

Rossmiller wrote, is to install physical barriers around boats’ swim

steps, and spray the sea lions with water.

Sea lions are protected under laws such as the federal Marine

Mammal Protection Act. Orange Coast College marine biologist Dennis

Kelly said legal protections are an important reason the animals

thrive in places like Newport Harbor.

In addition to having the advantage of legal protections, sea

lions are also some of the smartest animals in the harbor. Rossmiller

wrote that when loud noises were used to deter sea lions from

fisheries, the animals eventually learned the sound meant food was

nearby.

“Scientists who do research on marine mammals will tell you there

are two [intelligence] peaks out there -- dolphins and sea lions. And

they’re not sure which is higher,” Kelly said.

Kelly believes sea lions should be allowed to reach whatever

population size that can be sustained. As far as the problem of noisy

sea lions, he suggested people find some way to divert the animals

away from boats and houses to a place along the water where the

animals would be tolerated. He noted that tourists may want to visit

a beach where sea lion sightings were likely.

Newport harbor resources supervisor Chris Miller said he was open

to suggestions on ways to deal with sea lions in accordance with the

animals’ legal protections. Miller questioned whether Kelly’s idea

could work in Newport Harbor, where it’s hard to find a place where

the animals would not keep homeowners awake at night.

“We don’t have a remote corner in this harbor that doesn’t have

houses,” Miller said.

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers business and the environment. He can be

reached at (714) 966-4624 or by e-mail at

[email protected].