St. Joseph Peninsula Turtle Patrol gets money to educate public about sea turtles

Nesting sea turtles in Gulf County will get some added protections thanks to grant money from the state’s sea turtle specialty license plate.

The St. Joseph Peninsula Turtle Patrol recently received money that will allow them to help educate beach-goers about the importance of protecting sea turtles and their nesting habitat.

The Turtle Patrol conducts morning surveys on six miles of beach along the St. Joseph Peninsula from May through October.

The grant will pay for printed informational flyers that will be distributed through property management companies, the Gulf County TDC, at festivals and events and by turtle patrol volunteers when they interact with the public.

The flyers will include information about how to respectfully enjoy the recreational activities in the area and how lighting and litter can impact sea turtles.

They also tell people how beach furniture and recreational equipment left overnight on the beach can become obstacles to nesting turtles and their hatchlings.

The information also includes the effects of boating strikes and by-catch on sea turtles; and what to do if a stranded or injured sea turtle is sighted.

The group hopes that by informing beach goers and boaters about sea turtles that they will provide a safer place for turtles to dig their nests.

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