Comments on: Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29 issue, La Jolla Light http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/12/28/letters-to-the-editor-dec-29-issue-la-jolla-light/ Enlightening La Jolla since 1913 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:40:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Califia http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/12/28/letters-to-the-editor-dec-29-issue-la-jolla-light/#comment-188956 Califia Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:12:22 +0000 http://lajollalight.mscsddev.com/?p=56621#comment-188956 "Editor’s Note: In an effort to put the seal-dumping issue to rest, the Light contacted SealWorld. Here is the response:" SealWorld? Who is that? Freudian slip, typo, or inconvenient truth. Instead of trying to "put the issue to rest" how about seeking the whole truth. Sea World staff testified to the fact that harbor seals had been released just offshore from Children's Pool during sworn testimony in the O'Sullivan v. City of San Diego lawsuit. The result was an increase in ever more friendly Harbor Seals in the area tolerating an unusual level of human/seal interaction. Was an EIR done to determine the effect of concentrating Harbor Seals in this popular swimming area? It was never done and Sea World should have known better. Sea World has claimed that the rehabbed seals are only released from where they were captured. Since the majority of the releases were done directly into the water offshore that seems impossible. No seals are rescued from the water, only the land. In the case of releases near Children's Pool, there seemed to be a dual purpose to releasing into the water. First, they released seals preventing many people (concerned citizens) from knowing. (BAD on you for keeping this hidden while conditions at Children's Pool deteriorated) Second, a release from the beach at Children's Pool would disturb any seals already on the beach or nearby rocks and should be avoided. (Good on you) What should have been done is a release from captivity on to a beach remote from populated areas. Release rehabbed seals at Point Loma near the other Harbor Seal Colony at the City's waste water treatment plant near Cabrillo National Monument. Better yet, release them to one of the nearby offshore islands where the animals can revert back to wild creatures free from their experience at Sea World. Public Relations is a fine art of telling only what you want others to hear hoping no further questions will be asked. The statement may be true but deliberately incomplete to suit the audience. La Jolla Light you have the opportunity to really shine by checking into this further. You know where to get the needed information to verify the seal release program which coincided with the City's failed seal rock reserve project. I don't think you have a Sea World advertising account to protect like other media outlets have. They will not investigate because they don't want to risk losing those profitable accounts. Lets get to the bottom of this once and for all! Then maybe we can put this to rest. "Editor’s Note: In an effort to put the seal-dumping issue to rest, the Light contacted SealWorld. Here is the response:"

SealWorld? Who is that? Freudian slip, typo, or inconvenient truth.

Instead of trying to "put the issue to rest" how about seeking the whole truth. Sea World staff testified to the fact that harbor seals had been released just offshore from Children's Pool during sworn testimony in the O'Sullivan v. City of San Diego lawsuit. The result was an increase in ever more friendly Harbor Seals in the area tolerating an unusual level of human/seal interaction. Was an EIR done to determine the effect of concentrating Harbor Seals in this popular swimming area? It was never done and Sea World should have known better.

Sea World has claimed that the rehabbed seals are only released from where they were captured. Since the majority of the releases were done directly into the water offshore that seems impossible.

No seals are rescued from the water, only the land. In the case of releases near Children's Pool, there seemed to be a dual purpose to releasing into the water. First, they released seals preventing many people (concerned citizens) from knowing. (BAD on you for keeping this hidden while conditions at Children's Pool deteriorated) Second, a release from the beach at Children's Pool would disturb any seals already on the beach or nearby rocks and should be avoided. (Good on you)

What should have been done is a release from captivity on to a beach remote from populated areas. Release rehabbed seals at Point Loma near the other Harbor Seal Colony at the City's waste water treatment plant near Cabrillo National Monument. Better yet, release them to one of the nearby offshore islands where the animals can revert back to wild creatures free from their experience at Sea World.

Public Relations is a fine art of telling only what you want others to hear hoping no further questions will be asked. The statement may be true but deliberately incomplete to suit the audience.

La Jolla Light you have the opportunity to really shine by checking into this further. You know where to get the needed information to verify the seal release program which coincided with the City's failed seal rock reserve project. I don't think you have a Sea World advertising account to protect like other media outlets have. They will not investigate because they don't want to risk losing those profitable accounts.

Lets get to the bottom of this once and for all! Then maybe we can put this to rest.

]]> By: James http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/12/28/letters-to-the-editor-dec-29-issue-la-jolla-light/#comment-188163 James Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:56:09 +0000 http://lajollalight.mscsddev.com/?p=56621#comment-188163 Mr. Raffee, We would all like to know where you are getting your statistics! How many seals does it take to sustain a white shark and it's family? How did you come to the conclusion that it's more dangerous in the waters around LJ now? There has still only been ONE confirmed fatality from a White Shark in San Diego County EVER! <a href="http://surf.transworld.net/1000059657/features/history-of-shark-attacks-in-san-diego-county/" rel="nofollow">http://surf.transworld.net/1000059657/features/hi...</a> Mr. Raffee,

We would all like to know where you are getting your statistics! How many seals does it take to sustain a white shark and it's family? How did you come to the conclusion that it's more dangerous in the waters around LJ now? There has still only been ONE confirmed fatality from a White Shark in San Diego County EVER! http://surf.transworld.net/1000059657/features/hi...

]]> By: Seal Team 6 http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/12/28/letters-to-the-editor-dec-29-issue-la-jolla-light/#comment-187778 Seal Team 6 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:31:00 +0000 http://lajollalight.mscsddev.com/?p=56621#comment-187778 In response to the comment about Sea World Dumping seals at Children's Pool and the Light contacted Sea World. Sea World Did not deny ever doing so, but said they don't do it . "No harbor seal are released at the Children’s Pool" ,( ANYMORE ) ! They have in the past during the seal rock reserve project in the mid 90's David Koontz of Sea World did not lie, he just dodged the truth, that they did release seals there and on that beach in the past as Sea Worlds records to the National Marine Fisheries shows. Maybe the light should contact David Koontz of Sea World again and ask him specific questions and maybe show a copy of a release document from Sea World that on September 15 1995 seal tag number 11013 orange Roto tagged seal was released on the children's Pool beach and also had a radio tag attached to its flipper too. This form cmb # 0648008 was obtained from National Marine Fisheries through the freedom of information act. In response to the comment about Sea World Dumping seals at Children's Pool and the Light contacted Sea World. Sea World Did not deny ever doing so, but said they don't do it . "No harbor seal are released at the Children’s Pool" ,( ANYMORE ) ! They have in the past during the seal rock reserve project in the mid 90's
David Koontz of Sea World did not lie, he just dodged the truth, that they did release seals there and on that beach in the past as Sea Worlds records to the National Marine Fisheries shows.
Maybe the light should contact David Koontz of Sea World again and ask him specific questions and maybe show a copy of a release document from Sea World that on September 15 1995 seal tag number 11013 orange Roto tagged seal was released on the children's Pool beach and also had a radio tag attached to its flipper too.
This form cmb # 0648008 was obtained from National Marine Fisheries through the freedom of information act.

]]>