Shark Advisory Issued In La Jolla

LA JOLLA, CA – San Diego lifeguards issued a shark advisory along 2 1/2 miles of coastline in La Jolla this afternoon after multiple reports of a possible shark feeding near the shore.

Lifeguards issued the advisory shortly after 1 p.m. for the north side of Scripps Pier north to Bathtub Rock after several witnesses reported what they believed to be a shark about five feet in length.

While a five-foot shark is not considered a significant threat, the number of witnesses and the feeding behavior prompted the advisory, according to a statement from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

"We either have two separate sightings in the same general vicinity (one shark and one sea lion), or the witnesses all saw a sea lion feeding on a fish but perceived it as a shark," according to Monica Munoz, an SDFD spokeswoman. "We are acting out of an abundance of caution."

Lifeguards were advising people at the beach to stay out of the water.A helicopter was dispatched as a precaution, according to SDFD.

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--City News Service