I have to wonder whether the effort is worth it at those beaches. I've got nothing against beaches, but is it that important that we have swimming in that area?
Cleaning up pollution in the harbour has been completely worthwhile. I can't imagine what the bay and this city would be like if all that work had not been undertaken. There is still a ways to go (Randle Reef, sewage outflows during storms, other industrial pollution and runoff issues), but the progress has been remarkable.
Now that West Harbour has been made a "people place" it's going to be very difficult to control the problems with birds. As the article says, the birds are smart, and many people aren't going to pay mind to the signs about not feeding them (smart birds, not-so-smart people
). How much will any of the measures noted above accomplish, more than marginal impacts? You can't introduce predators, and you can't get rid of the people without taking away the people-place.
Bird populations seem well established. How do you get rid of the geese and gulls now, without taking drastic action? Should we even try?