By Sam Rosser
Sea turtle nesting season will begin on March 1st and runs through October 31st. South Florida residents are reminded to reduce the amount of visible light to the beach as this can cause disorientation in nesting sea turtles and hatchlings.
Lighting near the beach should be “sea turtle-friendly” and follow all three criteria below, established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):
Keep it low.
-Fixtures should be mounted as low as possible to achieve their purpose.
-Fixtures/bulbs should produce the lowest lumens (light output) necessary for the task
Keep it shielded.
-The bulb, lamp, or glowing lens should be shielded from the beach.
-This includes interior lights; curtains, shades, and blinds should be closed after sunset.
Keep it long (wavelength).
-Fixtures/bulbs must produce long-wavelength light (560 nm or longer) without filters, gels, or lenses.
-Amber and red LEDs are good examples of these types of light.
For further information on proper lighting guidelines, please see the attached document provided by FWC: https://myfwc.com/media/18511/seaturtle-lightingguidelines.pdf
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