LA JOLLA, CA — State officials are considering temporarily restricting public access to the popular La Jolla Cove following the viral video that showed an 18-year-old man kicking a sea lion.
On Friday, the California Coastal Commission Coastal met in Santa Cruz and discussed possibly initiating a partial closure to protect the sea lion population, which has been an ongoing concern for the community.
Multiple wildlife advocates attended the meeting, requesting the commission explore ways to restrict access to cove, saying sea lions at the cove have been consistently harassed by visitors and tourists who are disrupting female sea lions feeding and nurturing pups, as well as interfering with mating.
Advocates showed the commission videos of visitors at the La Jolla Cove with unmitigated access to sea lions, with some visitors, including children, just inches away from the sea lions. They also showed people in the water scaring off sea lions and confronting an 800-pound bull sea lion during the day.
RELATED: La Jolla Man Pleads Guilty To Kicking Sea Lion At La Jolla Cove
In June, the Sierra Club Seal Society and City of San Diego shared a plan with the commission to protect the sea lion population during pupping season. Wildlife advocates told the commission on Friday existing protections have not been effective.
During the meeting on Friday, representatives with the Sierra Club Seal Society shared a presentation showing there was a 43 percent mortality rate for sea lion pups two months into the 2026 pupping season. The presentation noted there were 21 births, six deaths, and 5 unviable rescues in La Jolla Cove.
They noted that there were several unsuccessful attempts to rescue sea lions this summer due to crowding.
Sierra Club Seal Society said in comparison to Point La Jolla, which is closed to public access, there was a six percent mortality rate among the sea lion pup population.
Sierra Club Seal Society said La Jolla Cove is not being adequately managed by the city. They said during a presentation that the cove is the highest ranking beach in California on TripAdvisor and attracts mass tourism. Advocates asked the commission for cones and tape, as needed on the beach, trifold signs and park rangers to be present on the beach to protect the pups.
Commissioners noted during the meeting that cities such as Monterey have implemented beach closures during pupping season, as a potential solution in for La Jolla Cove.
Emily Piatanesi, a spokesperson for San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, told the coastal commissioners on Friday the city has experienced challenges trying to enforce the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which is the law necessary to issue citations.
She added that the mayor's office and the city attorney are exploring local or state laws that could permit park rangers to ticket visitors who violate regulations intended to keep sea lions safe.
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