Pelicans roost on the massive rocks that make up the 2.2-mile-long Long Beach breakwater. Boulders were shipped from Catalina Island to create the World War II barrier that protected the Pacific Fleet. Now there’s a proposal to remove some of the breakwater to create bigger waves, cleaner beaches and more surf tourism. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
Russ Moore, left, and Larry Albach, from La Palma, fish for bass and barracuda just outside the west end of the 2.2-mile- long Long Beach breakwater. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times)
Student sailors catch the gentle winds during a sailing class in the Long Beach Marina. If the massive Long Beach breakwater is dismantled for enviromental and tourism reasons, storm swells and waves could affect the now-calm marina waters. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times)
An oil tanker anchored in Long Beach Outer Harbor is backdropped by tourist attractions in the port city. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times)
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A pelican glides above the kelp and debris that backs up against the bay side of the Long Beach breakwater. A proposal to open up some of the breakwater would allow tides to naturally flush out junk that flows down the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times)
