ACTION NEWS 8 REPORTER FELIX CORTEZ LIVE IN MONTEREY. ## DAN.. WHAT STARTED OFF AS A COUPLE DOZEN.. HAS NOW GROWN TO HUNDREDS OF SEA LIONS.. HERE AT SAN MARCOS BEACH.. SO MANY OF THEM THAT THEY FORCED THE CLOSURE OF THE BEACH.. THIS MORNING.. (NAT POP SEA LIONS) A SEA LION INVASION AT SAN CARLOS BEACH IN MONTEREY.. FORCING CITY LEADERS TO CLOSE THE BEACH MONDAY TO ALL USERS, INDEFINITELY.. (TERESA :22 THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BEACHES TO HANG OUT ON, ON THE LUNCHBREAK. SO I CAN’T GO THERE BECAUSE IT’S PARTITIONED OFF. BUT YEAH, I LOVE IT :30) THE BEACH IS ALSO A POPULAR SPOT FOR SCUBA DIVERS.. AND LESSONS.. THE SEA LIONS FORCING THEM OUT AS WELL.. (MEGAN :53 SO THERE’S ACTUALLY A REALLY GREAT ANOTHER BEACH JUST ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD CALLED MCKAMEY BEACH. AND SO WE’RE JUST SENDING DIVERS OVER THERE AND THEY’RE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO JUST GO A LITTLE BIT EXTRA TO GET IN THE WATER STILL :02) T-3 SHORELINE DOCENTS WHO REGULARLY MONITOR SEA LIFE SAY THE SEA LIONS STARTED ARRIVING LAST WEEK.. ABOUT 20 OF THEM.. BY SUNDAY NIGHT THERE WERE HUNDREDS.. (MARGE :21 LAST NIGHT I ESTIMATED BETWEEN 800 AND A THOUSAND. THE BEACH WAS ENTIRELY PACKED. IT JUST KEPT GROWING :31) AND SO ARE THE NUMBER OF SIGHT SEERS HEADING TO SAN (LONDON COUPLE 1:02 I’VE BEEN CLOSE, I’VE SEEN THEM FROM UP TOP. NEVER LIKE THIS. NEVER. SOMETHING’S GOING ON :07) T-2 ACCORDING TO THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER.. THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR, NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN BUT WHY THEY CHOSE THIS STRETCH OF BEACH ISN’T SO CLEAR… THEY USUALLY HANG OUT NEAR FISHERMAN’S WHARF.. (MEGAN :16 YEAH. WE’VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY’VE NEVER SEEN THEM COME OVER HERE IN THIS MANY NUMBERS. THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ODD THING TO HAPPEN HERE :25) (MARGE 6:51 WHY THEY WENT THERE TWO YEARS AGO AND DID IT LAST YEAR, AND THEY’RE DOING IT THIS YEAR, I DON’T KNOW. BUTJTHEY WILL LEAVE. I HOPE SO THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST MESS IN TOWN :04) AGAIN THE BEACH HERE AT SAN CARLOS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.. AND THAT’S REALLY UP TO THESE SEA LIONS.. AND HOW LONG THEY CHOOSE TO HANG AROUND

The City of Monterey wants to advise the public that San Carlos Beach is closed temporarily due to sea lions. Sea lions have closed public access to the beach.”Our Parks and Recreation staff are monitoring the beach as well as Sister City Park located along the Recreation trail between Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row,” said the city of Monterey.The city advises visitors to observe the sea lions from at least 150 feet away.Marine mammals, including sea lions, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.People who harass, feed, capture, or kill any marine mammal could face fines and even jail time.See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

MONTEREY, Calif. —

The City of Monterey wants to advise the public that San Carlos Beach is closed temporarily due to sea lions.

Sea lions have closed public access to the beach.

“Our Parks and Recreation staff are monitoring the beach as well as Sister City Park located along the Recreation trail between Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row,” said the city of Monterey.

The city advises visitors to observe the sea lions from at least 150 feet away.

Marine mammals, including sea lions, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

People who harass, feed, capture, or kill any marine mammal could face fines and even jail time.

See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel