| In recent weeks, several marine animals have been recovered or observed with boat strike wounds in Sarasota County waters — a reminder to remain vigilant for marine animals throughout this busy boating season.
Three loggerhead sea turtles and one Kemp’s ridley sea turtle were recovered dead by Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program between Sunday, July 5, and Monday, July 6. In addition, following the holiday weekend, Mote scientists documented a nesting female sea turtle with recent boat strike wounds. Mote scientists are monitoring for the turtle and noted that it has nested since being wounded — a sign that it might be able to recover successfully.
In late June, a boat propeller struck a 17-year-old male, long-term Sarasota Bay resident bottlenose dolphin. The fate of this animal cannot be determined at this time — dolphins sometimes survive less severe injuries to the dorsal fin. In general, about 5 percent of Sarasota Bay resident dolphins show evidence of having been struck by boats, and fatal collisions have been documented.
Read on to learn about the marine animals in local waters and how to protect them.
Watch out for dolphins, manatees and turtles at sea
Above: A dolphin calf born in 2015 swims with its mother in Sarasota Bay. Credit: Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (photo taken under NMFS Permit No. 15543)
Boaters should carefully scan the waters ahead of them to avoid wildlife.
Dolphins give birth during late spring and summer, and eight dolphin calves have been born so far this year in Sarasota Bay. The Bay’s resident dolphins frequent shallow waters where they may be unable to dive below an approaching boat, and naïve newborn dolphins lack the skills and experience to avoid boats, and have to surface more frequently to breathe than do older dolphins.
Sea turtles are swimming just offshore to mate before the females come ashore to nest (nesting beach guidelines below). All sea turtles are threatened or endangered species.
Manatees, endangered mammals, are also on the move in the Bay for foraging and mating. People might observe mating herds: several manatees gathered as males vie to mate with a female. Mote scientists have seen five mating herds in the past month, including one on July 9 along north Longboat Key and one July 10 along Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island. Scientists in Mote’s Manatee Research Program document and photograph herds to identify individual manatees by their unique patterns of scars. Mote received anecdotal reports of people attempting to interact with manatees in a recent herd – which is harmful and illegal.
Marine mammals and sea turtles are protected by law, and harassment or interference with them is subject to penalty, including fines, and it can jeopardize both animals and people. (Mote is not a law enforcement agency. For information about state law, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. For federal law, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.)
Tips for boaters:
- Follow Coast Guard-approved safe boating guidelines, comply with slow speed zone signs and use vigilance to avoid striking sea turtles, manatees and dolphins.
- Follow 10 dolphin-friendly viewing tips. Click here for a PDF. These tips were made with dolphins in mind, but they’re also great guidelines for the best ways to view all large marine animals.
- Wear polarized sunglasses to better see marine life in your path.
- Never feed marine wildlife. Click here to watch a PSA about why it’s harmful and illegal to feed wild dolphins: www.dontfeedwilddolphins.org
- Be sure to stow trash and line when under way. Marine debris that accidentally blows overboard or out of a truck can become ingested by or entangled around marine life.
- If you observe a manatee mating herd – several manatees gathered as males vie to mate with a female – watch the manatees from at least 100 feet away. Coming any closer might disrupt the animals’ natural mating behavior or put people into harm’s way. Adult manatees typically weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds and people could be seriously injured.
Protect sea turtles on the beach
Below: Sea turtle tracks documented by Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol, which monitors turtle nesting along 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches. Credit: Mote Marine Laboratory
Sea turtle nests are now hatching on beaches from Longboat Key through Venice: the 35-mile stretch monitored by Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Patrol.
The Sarasota Police Department and Mote, a nonprofit research and education institution, remind residents and visitors to help keep local waters and beaches turtle friendly by following the Sarasota County Sea Turtle Protection Ordinance, Chapter 54, Article XXIII of the Sarasota County Code of Ordinances. The ordinance protects endangered sea turtles on all local beaches throughout nesting season, May 1 – Oct. 31.
The Sarasota County Sea Turtle Protection Ordinance requires that any “temporary structures, including but not limited to beach chairs, umbrellas and cabanas which have the potential for entrapment of marine turtles and which may interfere with the use of the natural beach environment for nesting habitat, be removed from the beach nightly, from sunset to sunrise.” Beach furniture and other beach equipment, toys or trash left on the beach overnight during sea turtle nesting season can pose a serious entanglement hazard and obstacle for sea turtles and their hatchlings. Waiting until sunrise to set up beach furniture will allow any new turtle crawls and nests to be documented by Mote scientists. If you see turtle tracks not yet documented by Mote (documented tracks are crossed out with an “X”), please avoid placing furniture on them if possible.
In addition, please do not approach nesting turtles or hatchlings, do not make noise around turtles and their nests, and do not use fireworks, flashlights or fishing lamps on the beach. Artificial lights can disorient nesting turtles and their hatchlings, which emerge at night and use dim natural light to find the sea.
Beachgoers should stay away from sea turtle nests marked with yellow stakes and tape, and seabird nesting zones that are bounded by ropes. Dogs are not allowed on Sarasota County beaches other than Brohard Paw Park in Venice, where they must be leashed or under voice control, according to county ordinances.
Emergency contacts
If you see a sick, injured or stranded sea turtle or marine mammal in Sarasota or Manatee County waters, please contact Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program at 941-998-0212. Outside of Sarasota or Manatee counties, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
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Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium will dive into the science behind some of the ocean’s most fascinating fishes during this year’s Shark Days at Mote: Real Sharks, Real Science – a family-friendly celebration from Monday through Saturday, Aug.10 – 15.
In honor of Mote Marine Lab’s 60th anniversary, Florida residents are invited to discover the wonders of Mote Aquarium for just $6 every Saturday this September.
Florida’s Gulf Coast is a hotspot for nesting sea turtles, but how much do you know about our flippered friends? You can learn the tale behind the turtle tracks and scout local beaches for nests by joining Mote Marine Laboratory’s free, educational Turtle Walks on Saturdays in June and July.
