Record-Breaking Sea Turtle Nesting Season: Mote Reports

Sarasota, FL — The Gulf Coast’s sea turtle nesting season is only two months in and scientists from Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory are already reporting a record-breaking year.

Mote Marine scientists monitor beaches from Longboat Key through the Venice area. The record-breaking numbers have been logged along those beaches since nesting season began May 1.

“We are excited to announce that we have broken the 35-year annual record for sea turtle nests along our area’s beaches with a total of 2,638 confirmed nests so far and we are only halfway through the nesting season,” Kristen Mazzarella, senior biologist with Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, said in a statement.

Mote operates a “Sea Turtle Patrol,” which includes scientists, interns and volunteers. This group monitors local nesting beaches each day from May 1 until Oct. 21. This year’s number of nests so far has broken the record from 2015 by 163 nests.

Here’s a breakdown by beach:

• Longboat Key – It broke its record set in 2015 of 698 nests by June 30 with 716 nests
• Casey Key – It broke its record set in 2015 of 1,174 nests on July 2 with 1,184 nests
• Lido Beach – This beach’s record of 98 nests was set in 2014. So far, 86 nests have been recorded in 2016
• Venice – The record of 424 nests was set in 2012. So far, 383 nests have been recorded in 2016.

The first nest to hatch on Mote-monitored beaches at a Venice beach on June 26. This is the 35th year Mote has been monitoring 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches.

Members of the Sea Turtle Patrol could still use supplies to help out with this year’s nesting season. Items needed include:

• Black Sharpies
• 100-foot-long measuring tapes with non-metal blades
• Latex gloves, medium size
• Rubber mallets
• Yellow paint, 5-gallon cans
• WD-40, 1-gallon containers
• AAA and AA batteries
• Waterproof field notebooks

For more information, visit Mote online.

In Florida, all sea turtles are protected by state and federal laws. It is illegal for people to harass, harm or take sea turtles and their eggs. The state is home to five different species: loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, hawksbill, leatherback and green.

To find out more about loggerhead sea turtles in Florida,visit FWC online. For advice on protecting sea turtles on Gulf Coast beaches, check out this related story.

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 turtle 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.

Photo courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory