Florida Sea Turtle Permit Holders Meeting 2010

 A small group of STPS members traveled to Tallahassee for the 13thAnnual Marine Turtle Permit Holders Meeting. Although the meeting is held by Florida FWC, there are many corporateand non-profit groups that donate time, money and goods.  At most sea turtle workshops and meetingsthere is a silent auction of donated items to support Widecast.org, (Wider CaribbeanSea Turtle Conservation Network).  Thisyear is raised $3,450 toward travel scholarships for Caribbeanturtle folks. 

  Many of the presentations included powerpoint programs that can be viewed at http://fmtphm.org/FMTPHM_-_Agenda.html    over thenext few months. Now to the good part.

  Floridahas 1237 KM of beaches statewide, of which 396 KM are index beaches.  The nesting results are not final, but closeenough:  55,333 CC nests (48% declinesince 1998) trending down for 09, 4398 CM (about the same as last year), 1744DM (leatherbacks)   up (11 fold increasetrend), 3 Hawksbills,  8 kemps. Nesting through-out the Atlantic for loggerheads is trending down

  Dates for nest survey training were announcedincluding March 9 at Harbor Branch. Please   contact Dory Hughes for information

  Stranding(injured and dead turtle events) data included 1550 dead in Florida:     692CC (trend is flattening), 672 CM (highest ever), 97 Kemps, 28 Hawksbills, 9leatherbacks.  Causes included 212 propwounds, 209 emaciated.  Fibropapillomawas reported in 189 CM turtles.

  FWC worked hard at tallying numbers for the Great Cold Stunning event of 2010 topresent at the meeting:  Here are thehighlights: state wide there were  4592turtles affected and  Brevard / Volusiaaccounted for 43% or 1981 turtles  (1941CM , 39 CC , 1 Hawksbill) and 316 Died (at last tally).

  At the meeting I was impressed by how manynon-profit and FWC personnel speak highly of STPS. We can be proud of its rolein supplying volunteers to rescue (water and shore line) and to transportwherever they were asked to go.  Supplieswere brought in and sent out by lots of folks. Thanks to the nest survey and STERP programs.

 Florida Shorebird Allianceis a new partnership of FWC, Audubon, USFW & local groups that hope toestablish the same type of network of volunteers the sea turtles enjoy.  Our stranding training  and nest survey training will incorporateshorebird information and handouts because we share the same beach.

 Florida Black bears: Increasing the conservation perspective of turtlefocused people is area FWC likes to explore and this year David Telesco of FWCexplained that there are only about 3000, separated into 7 areas.  Their diet is only 3% animal (usually deadthings, so do not play dead with them) with the rest plants and insects.  Best defense when confronted, Yell “Get outof here!”

  Florida DEP’s Michael Barnett gave us insightto facts and battles looming.  There are825 miles of sandy beaches in Florida,397.4 are critically eroded and 208.6 are managed.  Battles important to beach habitatinclude:  SingerIslandplans for breakwaters, fabric geo tubes for erosion control, oil explorationand competition for offshore sand resources. Citizens need to weigh in with opinions to their representatives and theArmy Corp of Engineers.

  Therewere other reports on studies of genetic distribution, nest site fidelity,updates on the need for HCP (Habitat Conservation Plans), satellite tracking ofneonate loggerhead turtles and a glimmer of hope provide by a study that showsnesting may increase in 10 years of so.

  So if you check http://fmtphm.org/FMTPHM_-_Agenda.html   over thenext few weeks, you can learn about those studies and reports.  It’s always good to increase our knowledge ofsea turtles:  You never know whatquestions those school kids will ask.

RogerP