Sea Turtle Patrol Gears Up For Nesting Season

SARASOTA, FL — As sea turtles across the Sunshine State prepare to lay their eggs, the folks at Mote Marine Laboratory are gearing up for another busy season of monitoring the creatures and their offspring on 35 miles of coastline from Longboat Key to Venice. The Sea Turtle Patrol intends to kick off its efforts on Saturday, April 15.

Sea turtle nesting season generally runs from May 1 until Oct. 31 along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The scientists at Mote, however, know that threatened loggerhead sea turtles, endangered green sea turtles and other species don’t always care for that human calendar. That’s why the patrol gets started a little before the season gets under way and tends to remain active a little after it ends.

“Staff and volunteers will start walking the beaches early each morning looking for signs of turtle nesting as part of an effort to study and conserve sea turtles,” Mote explained in a Tuesday email to media. “Data from each nesting season contributes to a statewide understanding of nesting sea turtles.”

The 2016 nesting season was a banner one for sea turtles along the 35 miles of beach Mote’s team monitors. The team from Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program reported a total of 4,588 nests from Longboat Key to Venice. The number soundly beat 2015’s record of 2,103 nests.

The 2017 nesting season marks Mote’s 36th year of monitoring turtles along Sarasota County beaches. The organization accepts donations to help keep its efforts going. To help out, visit www.mote.org/support online and choose “donate.” In the drop-down box, donors may select “Sea Turtle Conservation.”

Beachgoers can also help keep turtles and their nests safe by heeding these tips:

• Be mindful of lights on the beach at night, especially from waterfront properties. These can disorient females and their young, who come out at night.
• Keep beach equipment, toys and other items off the beach at night to avoid sea turtle entanglement.
• Items such as beach chairs, umbrellas and cabanas should be removed from the beach between sunset and sunrise during the entire season. It’s best to wait until sunrise, at least, to set these items up, as well.
• People who encounter nesting turtles and hatchlings are asked to remain quiet and observe from a distance.
• Beachgoers are asked to knock down sand castles before they leave and to fill in holes on the beach that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water.
• Boaters should follow Coast Guard guidelines for avoiding sea turtles and other wildlife.
• Boaters are also asked to stow trash and other debris to ensure it doesn’t blow overboard.
• Boaters are also asked to wear polarized sunglasses so they can spot marine life in their paths a bit easier.

Mote researchers also ask beachgoers to avoid the following:

• Approaching nesting turtles or hatchlings too closely
• Flashing lights at turtles
• Using flashlights or fishing lamps on the beach
• Using fireworks on the beach

Anyone who happens to encounter a sick, stranded or injured sea turtle in Manatee or Sarasota County waters is asked to call Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program at 941-988-0212. Sightings outside of those two counties should be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Anyone who sees people tampering with sea turtles nests or harassing sea turtles is asked to call FWC, local law enforcement or Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program at 941-388-4331.

Sea turtles are protected under federal law. It is illegal to harass or interfere with them in any way or to disturb a nest.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission