FWC's holiday reminder: give sea turtles, shorebirds room on Nature Coast beaches
With nesting season still active and a long weekend bringing more beachgoers, state wildlife officials are asking Cedar Key-area visitors to keep lights down, dogs leashed and gear off the sand.
What FWC is asking
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission this week issued a reminder, timed to the long holiday weekend, that sea turtle nesting season is not over. Hatchlings are still emerging from nests statewide, and flightless shorebird chicks may still be on the sand with their parents. The guidance, aimed at anyone heading to a Florida beach through the holiday, lays out specific dos and don’ts backed by state law.
The core rule: stay at least 50 feet from nesting turtles and hatchlings. Getting closer can disrupt nesting or delay a hatchling’s crawl to the water. It is illegal under Florida law to harm or disturb nesting sea turtles, their nests or eggs, or to pick up hatchlings. FWC’s cue for beachgoers is simple, if an animal changes its behavior as you approach, back off.
Why this reaches Cedar Key
Cedar Key’s beaches and the barrier islands of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge sit squarely in the nesting range this reminder addresses. Local beachfront property owners are specifically named in the guidance: FWC asks anyone on beachfront property to close curtains after dark and turn off outside lights where possible, since artificial light can disorient nesting turtles and hatchlings, pulling them away from the ocean. Where exterior lighting near nesting beaches is required, FWC’s standard calls for long-wavelength bulbs, mounted low and shielded. The agency also asks beachgoers to skip flash photography, cell phone lights and colored flashlights on the sand after dark.
Drivers on coastal roads near beach access points are asked to slow down and watch for disoriented turtles or hatchlings that wander onto sidewalks or roadways, a scenario FWC flags as more likely during and after nesting season.
Shorebirds still need room too
Nesting season for shorebirds is winding down, but FWC says flightless chicks and fledglings can still be found on Florida beaches, and species including piping plovers and red knots are beginning to arrive for the winter or to refuel during migration. The agency’s advice: walk around birds rather than through them, keep out of any posted nesting areas, and keep dogs leashed and away from wildlife on beaches that allow pets. Even a calm dog, FWC notes, can look like a predator to a shorebird and cause adults to flush, leaving chicks exposed.
End-of-day cleanup and fireworks
FWC’s list closes with practical housekeeping: take beach chairs, toys and other gear off the sand at day’s end, since obstacles and holes can trap hatchlings or block adult turtles from nesting. Anyone who digs a hole is asked to keep it near the waterline, away from nests, and fill it in before leaving. Trash should be stashed to avoid entangling wildlife or attracting predators that target hatchlings and chicks, and fishing line should go into a monofilament recycling bin, FWC maintains a locator at mrrp.myfwc.com. The agency is also asking beachgoers to leave personal fireworks at home, noting that noise and light from fireworks on beaches or adjacent waters can disorient turtles, birds and their young.
Where to report a problem
FWC directs anyone who spots a hatchling away from the beach, or an adult sea turtle in distress, to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). More detail on turtle nesting is posted at MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle, alongside the agency’s “Be a Beach Hero” brochure; shorebird guidance and the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure are at MyFWC.com/Shorebirds. FWC did not announce any new rule or enforcement action tied to this reminder, it is a seasonal advisory ahead of a high-traffic weekend on the coast.