SAN DIEGO -- For the second time in two months, seal watchers in La Jolla are gazing upon a seal in distress.

This time, a seal pup has gotten entangled in fishing line.

Seal watchers say the situation is actually much more serious this time.

On the beach, among the seals, one pup is clearly in serious trouble.

Seal advocates are hoping for a rescue Friday morning, but they fear it may not be possible.

At the Children's Pool, the joy of seal watching turned Thursday into heartache.

“It’s sad, upsetting,” said one woman.

Home video showed the seal pup caught in fishing line, the line cutting into its neck.

“That seal pup is in grave danger,” said seal advocate, Marjane Aalam.

“If that monofilament severs a major artery, the animal will bleed to death,” said Aalam.

For Aalam, the sight is too painful to look at.

In May, several people shrugged off federal laws against disturbing seals, to free a pup from netting.

The rescuers were let off with warnings.

When SeaWorld turned up to rescue the seal, there were more legal hurdles.

A federal official nixed the rescue, because it was surrounded by too many seals.

Then, a change.

“So, finally, he said `okay, if it shows up in a smaller group,’”

And, eventually, it did.

A big wave crashed, causing some people to scream and that scared all the seals away.

A situation Aalam fears will repeat itself, on a beach now shared by seals and people.

“With conditions that we have, that pup is basically doomed,” said Aalam.

If the seal ends up on the beach, the rescue won't be as easy as cutting the line and releasing the seal.

Because of the injuries, it will have to be sedated and treated.

10News tried to reach federal officials to see if there has been a relaxing of the guidelines to allow more rescues.

They couldn't be reached for comment.