Starting from May 1st and continuing until October 31st every year, numerous endangered sea turtles begin to nest on the beaches of the Town of Longboat Key. To ensure the safety of these nesting females and their hatchlings, the Town has implemented specific Code requirements for beach-front properties and any other properties with visible lights from the beach. These requirements aim to prevent the negative impacts of artificial light, which can distract sea turtles from reaching the Gulf, and any obstructions or hazards that could cause harm or disturbance to the nesting turtles or their hatchlings as they make their way to the Gulf waters.
There are two primary actions that property owners and visitors to Longboat Key can take to help protect these sea turtles:
Turn off or block any lighting that can be seen from the beach from sunset to sunrise. (Note: turtle-friendly light bulbs and fixtures are widely available and can provide adequate lighting without disrupting sea turtles).
Remove any beach furniture (such as chairs, umbrellas, tents, toys, etc.) or recreational equipment (such as paddleboards, kayaks, floatation devices, etc.) from the beach daily.
To learn more about how to safeguard nesting sea turtles, their hatchlings, and future marine turtle generations, please visit the Town’s Marine Turtle Protection webpage.