SAN PEDRO : Water Lovers Told to Give 3 Areas Wide Berth

The Port of Los Angeles says boaters, Jet Ski riders and other nautical enthusiasts just don’t get it.

Late last year, the port sent out 20,000 flyers telling boaters and others to stay away from the shallow water habitat and Pier 300 and Pier 400 construction zones. The habitat is near the Cabrillo Beach fishing pier, and the commercial piers are east of that.

But over the past six months, port police have issued numerous verbal warnings to those who have strayed into the construction zones, officials said. Two accidents, one involving a person on a personal watercraft and one involving a sailboat, also have occurred.

Now, with summer and the busy Memorial Day weekend approaching, the port is distributing 25,000 more warning flyers at docks, marinas and boat races from Marina del Rey to Long Beach.

Last week, the Harbor Commission also voted to allow Port Police officer to cite boaters who stray into the construction zones.

Port spokesman Jeff Leong says venturing into the prohibited zones puts boaters at risk and interrupts construction.

Warning signs are posted in the Pier 300 and 400 area, where boaters may not see underwater hazards such as anchor wires and rock dikes.

“It’s not like you’re sailing and there’s a fence,” said spokeswoman Julia Nagano. “It’s not like a train that they can see coming.”