The Issue:

The Dana Point Harbor attracts thousands of visitors annually for many activities. The current harbor renovation is a ~$600 million collaboration between the County of Orange, City of Dana Point and multiple developers. Bellwether Financial Group is responsible for The Marina operations and revitalization including the boat slips and docks, boater facilities, dry boat storage, day-boat parking area and launch ramp areas.

The harbor is a shared space with local wildlife, which is a major tourism draw for the area. Dana Point Harbor is known as the dolphin and whale watching capital of the world, because we are so fortunate to have access to this natural beauty year round. The wildlife attractions include whales, dolphins, birds like herons and ospreys, fish and of course the boisterous sea lions.

 

The sea lions of Dana Point are treasured by the thousands of residents and tourists who visit the waterfront on a daily basis. But their habitat has been encroached by Harbor development, boating and human activity, making it difficult for the sea lions to engage in natural behavior such as hauling out of the water to sun themselves. Boat owners naturally discourage the animals from boarding their boats, and rails intended to keep the sea lions off slip ramps have appeared.

We acknowledge the difficulty sea lions can present to boat owners. Dedicated platforms and safe places will help cut down this tension. Viewing platforms will continue to draw tourists who will spend time and money at the harbor.

A major harbor attraction is walking along the waterfront seeing the sea lions’ playful antics… swimming or peacefully sleeping on docks. When they start barking at each other, they make countless visitors of all ages smile and laugh.

As hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to revitalize this local treasure, the harbor’s original residents must be accounted for. Sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and we must ensure that human activities do not displace or negatively impact wildlife. 

 

Examples:

• San Francisco’s Pier 39: This is the ultimate success story and key tourist attraction. An estimated 15 million people visit Pier 39 each year to see the sea lions. There is a webcam and social media pages for people to follow from anywhere.
• Oceanside Harbor: Visitors come to enjoy animals sunbathing or swimming around the harbor.
• Port Dock One (Oregon): Port Dock One is a popular tourist attraction in Newport, Oregon. 

 

The Ask:

We want dedicated platforms built for sea lions at the harbor to sunbathe, rest and be safe.  We ask the Board of Supervisors, City Council, Bellwether Financial Group to discuss, plan and build dedicated sea lion safe places in the marina.

 

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