To Reduce Impacts To Sea Turtles From Beach Furniture:
- Remove furniture from the beach nightly
At night, furniture should be completely removed from the beach and stored behind the primary dune. Please remember, heavy equipment is not allowed on the beach during nesting season. When possible, all furniture should be moved by hand.
- Stack and arrange furniture
Marine turtles prefer to nest on the mid to
upper beach, protecting their nest from the high tide. Furniture
that is left on the beach at night can prevent nesting turtles
from reaching the upper beach (See Figure 1). If furniture can
not be removed at night, it should be stacked to minimize
interference with nesting or hatchling sea turtles (See Figure
2).
Arrange the stacked furniture with the shortest edge facing the
shoreline.
No furniture should be placed on the beach
until a nesting survey has been completed by a Marine Turtle
Permit Holder, who will identify and mark nests. Place furniture
at least 5 feet from any marked nest.
Furniture should not be placed on salt-resistant vegetation or on
the dunes.
- Use an umbrella holder or sleeve
To the degree possible, avoid burying umbrella poles during sea turtle nesting season. Either anchor an umbrella holder or sleeve before the nesting season to use throughout the summer, or use umbrellas that clamp directly to the furniture.
If you see someone disturbing a sea turtle nest or see a dead,
injured or harassed sea turtle, please call
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at
1-888-404-FWCC.
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