Message alerts residents about nesting turtles

A CodeRED alert message went out to phones associated with Gulf-side properties and those near Bayport Beach & Tennis Club July 22, but the purpose wasn’t to alert residents about a hurricane or tornado.

Instead, the message reminded residents to shield or turn off lights that are visible from the beach and to remove beach furniture and other items that can be hazardous to turtles.

CodeRED alerts typically notify residents about an emergency, such as an evacuation alert or boil-water notice. The message was the first turtle-related CodeRED alert the town issued.

“We are in the high point of hatchling season, and there are a lot of tiny ones trying to get down into the water,” said Susan Phillips, assistant to the town manager. “From pretty much every nest, we had reports that some of them were disorienting and heading toward landward light.”

But the town currently does not have a code enforcement officer, making it difficult to enforce the ordinance.

Police officers and building inspectors also distributed fliers with turtle-related information last week.

“We’re being innovative because we don’t have that capability,” Phillips said, referring to code enforcement.

Longtime Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteer Cyndi Seamon said that patrols often don’t see lighting violations during their early morning walks.

“We’re not seeing the lights as much, because we’re walking when there’s enough light to see the hatchling tracks,” Seamon said.

The town has saved the message and could use it again in the future, possibly on an annual basis.

To register for CodeRED alerts, visit the town’s website, longboatkey.org, and click on the “residents” tab, or call Phillips at 316-1999.

CodeRED message
“Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 through Oct. 31 each year and is currently underway on Longboat Key. Your assistance is needed to help protect these endangered species. Please turn off or shield both outside and inside lights at night. If lights can be seen from the beach, they can disorient nesting or hatching turtles and prevent them from reaching the ocean. Please remove beach furniture, cabanas and other objects from the beach each evening or store them as far back on the beach as possible. Sea turtles do not maneuver well on land and may become trapped and die due to obstacles on the beach. Any large holes in the sand should also be filled to prevent adult turtles and hatchlings from becoming trapped in the holes.”

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]