Rotating News Article

For: Week of May 12, 2003

By: Chris Verlinde, Extension Marine Agent

Santa Rosa County Extension Service

Telephone: 850/623-3868 or 939-1259, ext. 1360

Remember “Lights Out for Sea Turtles” During Nesting Season May-October

Locally, from May to October, adult sea turtles return to area waters because they were hatched from eggs deposited on our beaches by their own mothers! Sea turtles will nest approximately every 2 years and come on shore to nest an average of 3 times in each nesting year. Sea Turtles lay anywhere from 60 to 160 soft ping-pong sized eggs per nest. From Perdido Key to Panama City Beach, beaches are monitored by employees and volunteers of various agencies and local organizations such as the South Walton Turtle Watch, Emerald Coast Wildlife, St. Andrews Bay Resource Management Association, Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Florida Park Service. Nesting data is collected to determine the number and types of turtle nests found on our beaches, and the number of hatchlings that survive long enough to return to the Gulf of Mexico.

A nesting sea turtle will usually come ashore at night to lay her eggs. She leaves distinctive tracks from the Gulf of Mexico up the beach to her nesting site. This is known as a “crawl.” Sometimes the turtle may be disturbed by animals or humans, this can lead to a “false crawl” and the turtle does not nest. Nests are protected and after approximately 2 months, monitored closely for signs of the emergence of the hatchlings. This is important because sea turtle hatchlings can easily become disoriented due to artificial lighting from nearby homes, streets and businesses. Hatchlings have a natural instinct to emerge from the nest and go toward the brightest spot on the horizon, typically over the water. In recent years, however, hatchlings leave nests and wander toward artificial light of buildings, streets, parking lots and other unnatural places. This leads to death for many of the new hatchlings.

Sea turtles are given legal protection in the United States and its waters under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which lists the hawksbill, leatherback, Kemp's ridley and green turtle as endangered; the loggerhead is listed as threatened. 

This designation makes it illegal to harm, harass or kill any sea turtles, hatchlings or their eggs. It is also illegal to import, sell, or transport turtles or their products. In the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service has jurisdiction over sea turtles in the water, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for them on land. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) has a Sea Turtle Program within the Bureau of Protected Species. The state program coordinates with the federal agencies and reviews, issues, and administers permits for both research and management activities within the state. Other countries have their own conservation laws and regulations that apply to sea turtles.

What can you do to help protect sea turtles?

Remember when fishing, boating, diving or swimming it is unlawful to harass or feed sea turtles. Things like casting directly at a sea turtle, trying to ride, or catch a sea turtle are considered harassment and you may be fined and go to jail! If you witness these types of activities or find a dead or injured Sea Turtle, please report it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Hotline, 1-888-404-FWCC.

Don’t Litter! Turtles eat a wide variety of marine debris such as plastic bags, plastic and Styrofoam pieces, tar balls, balloons and plastic pellets. Ingestion of these types of marine debris may cause the animal to suffocate and may interfere in metabolism or gut function, or lead to the absorption of toxic byproducts.

If you see a sea turtle while she is nesting, do not disturb her! Please do not disturb nests; they are being monitored to ensure that the hatchlings make it to the Gulf of Mexico.

Avoid leaving beach furniture and large holes along the beach. These act as obstacles to nesting sea turtles.

Join local programs or organizations that promote Sea Turtle protection, such as the South Walton Turtle Watch, the St. Andrew Bay Resource Management Association, participate in Big Lagoon State Recreation Area’s summer turtle program, and support Emerald Coast Wildlife and the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Buy a sea turtle license tag. The additional $17.50 fee is contributed to the

Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund within the Florida Department of

Environmental Protection to conduct sea turtle protection, research and recovery

programs.

Extension Service programs are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.

For information on these events and volunteer opportunities, contact Chris Verlinde, Santa Rosa County Marine Extension Agent at 623-3868, or christinav@co.santa-rosa.fl.us.