Countywide : Lifeguards Seek OK to Capture Stingrays

Seal Beach lifeguards are seeking permission to net stingrays after a rash of people reported getting stung in North County beaches.

Officials said they have observed an increase in the number of stingrays recently because of warmer water temperatures.

“We definitely have had a notable increase,” said A. J. Summers, a Seal Beach lifeguard supervisor.

He said lifeguards have contacted the state Department of Fish and Game to ask if they can be authorized to capture and destroy or have the barbs removed on the fish.

On recent summer weekends, water temperatures have gone as high as 73 degrees, which has helped draw the usually docile stingrays to the beach, Summers said.

Although 15,000 people visit the beach each weekend day, lifeguards average reports of 10 stings a day. On Saturday, 17 stings were reported and another 10 on Sunday, he said.

When swimmers disturb or step on the stingray, it swings its whip-like tail upward and causes a painful wound. Medical treatment is simple. Lifeguards place the area of the sting in hot water to help neutralize the ray’s toxins, they said.

However, one Seal Beach swimmer, who told lifeguards he was recovering from a hospital stay, temporarily needed oxygen after he was stung. Paramedics were not called, Summers said.

Stingrays are attracted to the San Gabriel River mouth, which has won it the nickname of “Ray Bay.” Before stingrays came under the protection of coastal laws, Summers said, they were routinely captured in nets and destroyed or their barbs removed.

“We have contacted (Department of) Fish and Game to get the ball rolling on a possible netting,” Summers said.

A Fish and Game spokesman said authorization to hunt the rays is not likely.

“We did allow them to net and destroy the rays about 20 years ago,” said Pat Moore. “But my feeling is they won’t be allowed to do that again. We don’t just go out and go hunting when someone is bothered by animals anymore.”

“We haven’t gotten to the point of formally warning the public because stingrays have always been here,” Summers said. “And we don’t want to cause a panic. We have thousands of people who visit our beach and they don’t get stung. But our stance is that if you’re concerned, you should check with the lifeguard because they know where the safe areas are.”

At nearby Huntington State Beach, lifeguard Jeffrey Lung said that even on busy weekends only a few bathers are unlucky enough to encounter stingrays.

“We’re getting about 30,000 to 45,000 people a day on Saturdays and Sundays,” Lung said. “And, we’re averaging only about two or three reported stings a day. They like still water, and seem to be coming closer to shore at Bolsa Chica State Beach than here at Huntington State, where we tend to have more wave action.”

Lung said lifeguards were telling visitors to shuffle their feet when they walk in the water. “This will draw them away from you,” Lung said.

Summer Sting Normally docile, stingrays are ever present this summer at Orange County beaches and stinging away. More than 100 stingray injuries have been reported so far by local lifeguards, double the number reported this time last year. Stingray: Small, flat fish with nearly round disk. Its whip-like tail has sharp spines on the back near the middle with poisonous glands at the base of each spine. Size: Up to 30 inches long, 28 inches wide. Coloring: Brownish or gray-brown, usually with yellow spots, white to yellowish below. Diet: Invertebrates and small fishes. Sting: In defense against predators, a stingray will swing its tail upward and inflict a wound with the spine of its tail. Habitat: Sand or mud bottoms off beaches and in bays, from 3 to 70 feet offshore. Range: Northern California to Panama, mostly in warm coastal waters.

Protecting Yourself Feet up: Try not to walk too much in water. Swim or float to avoid stepping on a stingray. Stingray shuffle: When you do walk in the water, lifeguards suggest shuffling your feet. This kicks up the sand and alerts stingrays, who may move away to avoid any contact. Be alert: Stingrays lie on flat, sandy areas in warm water. Lifeguards can tell you places to avoid. Treatment: If stung, let the wound bleed, then soak it in hot water for 30 to 45 minutes. Sources: Peterson Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fish, Huntington Beach State Beach lifeguards; Researched by CAROLINE LEMKE / Los Angeles Times