SoCal harbors get creative when it comes to sea lion abatement

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Dana Point Harbor recently made headlines when Orange County officials deployed a few air dancers in an attempt to deter sea lions and seals away from guest docks. The plan worked for a while but it is unclear whether air dancers will keep pinnipeds away over the long term. Nonetheless presence of sea lions and seals at Dana Point Harbor serves as a reminder that boaters must co-exist with marine life. As demonstrated in recent years the pinniped population fluctuates. Each year it seems as if news outlets identify a different harbor as the new area where the local pinniped population shoots up dramatically. The California sea lion are found along the North American coast between Vancouver Island in Canada to the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. Male sea lions can reach a top weight of 850 pounds and measure seven feet long. Comparatively female sea lions can weigh up to 220 pounds and grow to 6 feet in length, according to The Marine Mammal Center. “California sea lions are opportunistic eaters, feeding on squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, mackerel, and small sharks. In turn, sea lions are preyed upon by Orcas (killer whales) and great white sharks,” according...