Loggerhead Marinelife Center & Archie Carr Center Launch Sea Turtle Protection Zone in Jupiter

JUNO BEACH, FL – July 29, 2021 – On Tuesday, July 27, Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) and the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research (ACCSTR) at the University of Florida launched the Sea Turtle Protection Zone (STPZ) in Palm Beach County. The STPZ is geared to protect sea turtles from unintended boat strikes during nesting season between March 1 and October 31.

This initiative is voluntary and extends one mile offshore from the Jupiter Inlet to the Lake Worth Inlet. The STPZ recommends that boaters avoid traveling within the designated area, operating at the slowest speed possible when in the zone, and wearing polarized sunglasses to better spot wildlife on the surface.

According to the Sea Turtle and Stranding Network, sea turtle vessel strikes have tripled in Florida since 1980. During nesting season, sea turtles spend an increased amount of time on or near the water's surface adjacent to nesting beaches, which puts them at a greater risk of boating injuries.

“The goal of the STPZ is to work alongside the Palm Beach County boating community to ensure the ocean remains a safe and peaceful environment for sea turtles and boaters alike,” said LMC Conservation Manager, Katie O’Hara. “To achieve this goal, the STPZ promotes science-based recommendations to help prevent harmful interactions between vessels and threatened and endangered sea turtles.”

Findings show that the majority of county boaters would be willing to voluntarily slow their speeds to help safely share local waters with sea turtles. To strengthen its impact, LMC and ACCSTR have partnered with local marinas and boating stores to display and distribute educational materials, including stickers, public awareness videos, pamphlets, and more.

“Each year, from March to October, tens of thousands of sea turtles migrate to Florida beaches to lay their eggs, and Palm Beach County is a high-density area for sea turtle nesting,” said Dr. Cathi Campbell, ACCSTR Adjunct Assistant Scientist. “Adult female sea turtles are especially important to the recovery and stability of their nesting populations. During nesting season, many sea turtles spend extended periods resting within a mile offshore either on or close to the water’s surface while they prepare for their next nesting event, making them even more susceptible to unintended boat strikes.”

Prior to the launch, LMC and ACCSTR collected speed data and conducted boater surveys to identify how pilots can best work together to protect nearby sea turtles. Both organizations will determine the success of the STPZ by evaluating pre-and post-implementation data on vessel speeds, surveys, strandings, and the number of sea turtles admitted to local sea turtle hospitals with sustained injuries.

This project was funded by the Disney Conservation Fund and a grant awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded by proceeds from Florida Sea Turtle License Plate sales.

Interested in getting involved? Please visit marinelife.org/STPZ or contact Katie O’Hara at kohara@marinelife.org or 561-627-8280, x. 107.

Photos courtesy of Loggerhead Marinelife Center.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) is a nonprofit sea turtle research, rehabilitation and educational institution that promotes conservation of ocean ecosystems with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. The Center features an on-site hospital, research laboratory, educational exhibits and aquariums, and also operates the Juno Beach Pier, which hosts world-class angling and sightseeing. Situated on one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches, Loggerhead Marinelife Center is open daily and hosts over 350,000 guests free of charge each year. The Center’s conservation team works with 90 local and international organizations across six continents to form partnerships and share conservation initiatives and best practices that are core to its mission of ocean conservation. The Center is expanding and has launched its Waves of Progress capital expansion campaign, designed to accelerate and amplify LMC’s conservation and education impact. When complete, the facility will offer one of the world’s most advanced and unique experiences for guests and scientific partners. For more information, visit www.marinelife.org or call (561) 627-8280.

Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research

The Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research (ACCSTR) at the University of Florida was established in 1986 as a Center of Excellence by the University Board of Regents of the State of Florida in recognition of the outstanding achievements and pioneering research of the late Archie Carr. Its mission is to conduct research in all aspects of the biology of sea turtles, to educate students, and to further marine conservation through the communication of these research results to the scientific community, management agencies, and conservation organizations throughout the world. For more information, visit www.accstr.ufl.edu