Sea Turtle Season Update: Let’s Keep it Dark for Momma

Kudos to the Gulfview Club of Marco Island: According to Colette McBreen, “Sometimes we forget that sea turtles were coming back to their homes on Marco far longer than many of us.” 

Colette McBreen, the Community Manager for the Gulfview Club located at 58 No. Collier, has put together a season plan to prepare the residents and the building for the Sea Turtle Season. Their team met and to go over a checklist that focuses on improvements that could be made to the exterior and interior lighting. Ms. McBreen remarked that they were able to see the Gulfview Club go from bright white to glowing amber with their improvements. 

An evening team walks the property and beach area twice every evening to monitor lights from residences. Volunteers also took evening photos of areas of concern. The photos enabled the team to focus the needed changes to be in compliance with State and Marco’s Sea Turtle Lighting Protection Ordinance. 

Ms. McBreen and her team are using materials from The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) to educate the owners, renters and guests about sea turtles and lights. They distribute brochures, stickers and postcards from STC to each residence.

Let’s Help Our Sea Turtles:

• When walking on the beach at night, don’t use flashlights or cell phones. They can deter female turtles from coming ashore to nest or cause them to abort nesting.
• If you find sea turtle tracks, leave them undisturbed for sea turtle monitors to identify.
• Dispose of trash properly.
• Fill in the holes on the beach—potential death traps to sea turtles.
• Keep the beach free of beach chairs and equipment.