Escambia County reminds beachgoers to “leave no trace” and turn out the lights this spring and summer, to help keep Perdido Key safe and sea turtle-friendly. May is the beginning of sea turtle nesting season in Florida, with thousands of endangered turtles laying their eggs on Gulf Coast and Atlantic beaches until the season ends Oct. 31. Through the Leave No Trace ordinance, it is illegal to leave personal property on any portion of the sandy gulf beach from sunset until sunrise. Additionally, any lawful “No Trespassing” signs on private property must meet regulations outlined in the Florida Statues and Escambia Ordinances by Wednesday, May 15.
Lights out to protect baby sea turtles
Light pollution has a negative effect on sea turtles, causing hatchlings to become disoriented and head away from the Gulf of Mexico when they emerge from their nest.
- Do not disturb nesting females or hatchlings by using flashlights, flash photography or lanterns at night.
- Turn out beachfront lights after dusk.
- Close blinds and curtains in beachfront homes when interior lights are on at night.
“Leave No Trace” on the beach
- Fill in any holes in the sand and knock down sand sculptures at day’s end to remove obstacles blocking sea turtles’ nesting activities.
- Remain at a distance from nesting sea turtles and hatchlings.
- Properly dispose of trash and discarded fishing gear. Sea turtles can become entangled in old fishing nets and lines or ingest plastic bags and wrappers, mistaking them for jellyfish.
- Remove personal belongings from the beach at the end of each day. Items such as umbrellas, tents, beach toys and chairs should not be left unattended, except for commercial beach vendors who have until 2020 to update their equipment.
No trespassing signs
Unlike Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key has privately owned beach areas that end at the mean tide line or the “wet sand” area, which is public property. Landowners of gulf front property on Perdido Key may lawfully post no trespassing signs. However, they must meet the provisions outlined in Marine Turtle Protection Act Florida Statutes 379.2431 and Section 30-304 of the Escambia Code of Ordinances.
- No trespassing signs are required to be placed no more than 500 feet apart along, and at each corner of the boundaries of the land.
- Private landowners may install up to three single-post signs located at the base of the dune, mid-point of the beach, and at the southern corners of the property.
- If neighboring properties both intend to post on their property, then a single-post with back-to-back signs should be utilized.
- Modification of any current signage to meet these perimeters is required by Wednesday, May 15.
Violations of the Leave No Trace ordinances for Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach can be reported through the Ask MyEscambia. Connect with services delivered by the departments housed under the Escambia County Commission through our mobile and desktop service request application.
Please contact Timothy Day, Escambia County Senior Natural Resources Manager, with any questions or concerns at 850-595-1144 or trday@myescambia.com.
