A sea lion at La Jolla Cove Beach in San Diego, Calif.

Just one month after a video went viral of a man abusing a sea lion at a popular San Diego cove, the California Coastal Commission is considering closing coastal access to one of California’s award-winning beaches to protect its wildlife.

At a Friday, Aug. 14, California Coastal Commission meeting, Commissioner and San Diego resident Matt O’Malley argued the board needs to take action and partially close the world-famous La Jolla Cove to protect the sea lions — and even went so far as to blame the city for failing to manage the beach effectively. 

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“I’m beyond angry and quite honestly just embarrassed to be a city of San Diego resident right now,” O’Malley said. “... Frankly, I’m sick and tired of the failure of the city to implement their previously proposed plan in a coordinated way between their own internal agencies, lifeguards and parks.” 

The meeting took place just one day after 18-year-old Tyler Muehl pleaded guilty in federal court to repeatedly kicking a sea lion on July 22 at La Jolla Cove, which was caught on camera. But the attack was not an isolated incident. Despite its small size at just 47 yards long, the picturesque Southern California cove attracts 3 million tourists per year, Sierra Club Seal Society representative Sunny Cha said at the meeting. Tripadvisor named La Jolla Cove the best beach in the country earlier this year, drawing in more crowds. But not all visitors adhere to the cove’s many posted guidelines. For years, beachgoers have been caught touching the sea lions and crowding them to take photos.

“I guess I’m left to sort of conclude that where there’s a will, there’s a way,” O’Malley said. “And I can only conclude that there is no will on behalf of the city of San Diego to protect the wildlife and community in this........

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