FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:   Carol Lis, Lee County Environmental Compliance/Enforcement,
                 (941) 479-8353

SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON BEGINS WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 26, 2002) – Nesting season for the endangered sea turtle officially begins Wednesday (May 1) and Lee County, along with other organizations, is urging residents and visitors to familiarize themselves and comply with Sea Turtle Protection Regulations. 

The regulations are in force from May 1 through October 31. 

The main focus of the regulations is to reduce lighting on beaches during nesting times so that hatchlings can find their way to sea and don’t become confused by artificial illumination (lights).  From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. lights may not directly or indirectly illuminate the beach.  Lee County recognizes that some lighting is necessary, but ways to achieve compliance include:

§         Turn the lights off

§         Replace bulbs with 25 watt yellow bug lights

§         Install recessed lamps with low wattage bulbs

§         Shield the lights with an opaque material on three sides

§         Rotate the lights away from the beach

§         Obscure the lights with dense vegetation

§         Use low profile lighting

§         Use motion detector sensors set on minimum duration

§         Close curtains or blinds

Also during these times:

§         Fires are prohibited on the beach

§         Mechanical raking of the beach is restricted by State permits

§         All beach furniture and equipment must be removed from the beach to behind the permanent dune line and stacked between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Bonita Beach to Captiva.

The sea turtle regulations are designed to encourage voluntary compliance.  Enforcement action will be taken in situations where violations are not corrected.  For more information on sea turtle regulations or light shielding questions, contact Lee County Environmental Sciences at 479-8585 or visit its web site www.lee-county.com/dcd/environmental/seaturtles.htm. 

To report a sea turtle nest, dead/injured sea turtles or disoriented hatchlings, contact the following:

§         On Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach, Turtle Time, Inc., 481-5566, www.swflorida.com/turtletime/.           

§         On Sanibel/Captiva Islands, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, 472-2329, www.sccf.org/turtle.htm 

§         On Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island Sea Turtle Patrol, (941) 964-0568.