Coastal urbanization and the recovery of many marine species has caused human interactions with marine wildlife to become more common, sometimes resulting in conflict. In La Jolla, CA, the increasing presence of Pacific harbor seals at Children’s Pool Beach (CPB) resulted in a 25 year conflict over appropriate beach use. Drawing on archival analysis, stakeholder interviews, and beach-goer surveys, we present a history of the conflict and explore the drivers that have enabled the conflict’s escalation and endurance. Many factors influence people’s polarized views about seals at CPB, including personal values and sense of identity, differing perceptions of what is “natural” at CPB, the threat of change and loss of beach access, and underlying inter-personal conflict. Politicization and inaction during the early stages of the conflict also precluded conflict resolution and contributed the conflict’s escalation. While overt conflict has decreased in recent years, polarized views about seals at CPB and legal challenges continue. In order to prevent conflict escalation and persistence, it is important that coastal managers work to address conflict over marine wildlife early and decisively. We present suggestions regarding minimally controversial management measures that could be undertaken early in a conflict, and suggest that managers prioritize commonly held values to facilitate stakeholder dialogue. While it may not be possible to generate solutions that appeal to all stakeholders, understanding the values and cultural frameworks driving conflict is an important first step toward understanding and generating workable solutions to conflict over wildlife.

沿海城市化和许多海洋物种的恢复导致人类与海洋野生动物的互动变得更加普遍，有时会导致冲突。在加利福尼亚州拉霍亚，儿童泳池海滩 (CPB) 越来越多的太平洋海豹导致了长达 25 年的关于适当使用海滩的冲突。通过档案分析、利益相关者访谈和海滩游客调查，我们展示了冲突的历史，并探讨了导致冲突升级和持久的驱动因素。许多因素会影响人们对 CPB 海豹的两极分化看法，包括个人价值观和身份认同感、对 CPB 的“自然”的不同看法、变化的威胁和无法进入海滩，以及潜在的人际冲突。冲突早期的政治化和无所作为也阻碍了冲突的解决并助长了冲突的升级。虽然近年来公开的冲突有所减少，但关于 CPB 印章和法律挑战的两极分化观点仍在继续。为了防止冲突升级和持续，沿海管理者必须尽早果断地解决海洋野生动物的冲突。我们提出了关于可以在冲突早期采取的最小争议管理措施的建议，并建议管理者优先考虑共同持有的价值观以促进利益相关者对话。虽然可能无法产生对所有利益相关者都有吸引力的解决方案，