Call it serendipity, the fate of the gods, or simple biology, but it seems that Cape Hatteras National Seashore is undergoing an invasion of sea turtles. And that means more beach closures to off-road vehicles and pedestrians.
At last report, there were 111 confirmed nests laid by sea turtles, an increase of about 30 percent above normal, according to biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. And about 70 percent of those nests have yet to hatch.
Under a consent decree reached earlier this year between the National Park Service, the National Audubon Society, and Defenders of Wildlife, the National Park Service can block access to areas of beach with unhatched nests until those nests hatch.
As experienced in 2007 under the Interim Strategy, and again this season, some full beach closures will be implemented as turtle nests approach "day 50" (from the date when the nest was laid) in expectation of hatching. Under the terms of the Consent Decree, beginning September 15, all sea turtle nests that have reached their hatch window at day 50 will result in full beach closures until those particular nests hatch. As of August 21, 2008, there are 111 sea turtle nests on national seashore beaches, of which, 31 nests have hatched.
Now, some closures that had been implemented due to nesting piping plovers, terns, and Oystercatchers are being reopened.
And while a nighttime prohibition on beach driving is still in effect throughout the Seashore from May 1 to November 15 between 10:00 pm until 6:00 a.m., seashore officials are developing a permit to allow night driving between September 16 and November 15.
Comments
As a former official NPS employee that no longer works in CAHA some of your facts are wrong. There are criteria for moving turtle nests in CAHA and it does happen. I myself moved one with a record 168 eggs of which a more significant portion did not hatch than usual. The primary reason for moving it was to allow greater access for ORVs to South Pt. on Ocracoke, and to prevent the complete closure of this area at the Day 50 closure expansion. Another major criteria for moving a nest is if it IS right next to a ramp, and blocking access.
Further, it is completely unfeasible to rake turtle closures every day. Over most of CAHA there are only 1 or 2 people on duty for each island every day in the Resources Department. ATVs do not pull drag fences well over sand. A 150 foot buffer required for turtle nests from nest to hard sand takes at least 1 hour to rake by one person. Multiply that by an average of 30 nests per district and you have one person spending 30 hours just raking tires tracks out of the sand. Not to mention the average 30 minutes it takes to remove all the blown sand from the filter fencing used to block out headlights at nights around every turtle nest after day 50. Generally there are 5-10 nests with filter fencing. On average as a biotech I spent 2-5 hours per day just digging back the sand that nature put there. There is no way current resources (paid or volunteer) can cope with removing the effects of ORV tracks.
And Pea Island is not under the jurisdiction of the NPS at all. It's a completely different agency who's mandate is different from the legislation establishing the NPS. The main mandate for the NPS system is to preserve as is for future generations. Other agencies within the federal system like the Forest Service under the Dept. of Agriculture are mandated as multi-use and have more relaxed rules and protocols about what can and cannot be done to the environment within their areas. The NPS is the strictes precisely so that there will be natural areas in the future.
Of the 3000 eggs laid every year on average on Ocracoke, only 3 of those babies are expected to grow to adulthood to reproduce. Don't you think giving those three a chance is worth it?
And the reason for full beach 24/7 nest-to-dune for pedestrians is what?
And the closure during the day for ORVs when the nests are enclosed by a barrier is what.
I would love to see the data to verify the 3/3000 statistic. Can you point me how and by whom this number was arrived? Or is this truthiness?
It's a fact the the turtles are nesting in large numbers on the whole east coast. It's also a fact that they are not endangered or threatened. So why the massive closures?
CHNS rangers kill so called predators of plovers, such as fox, racoons, feral cats and nutria yet go to EXTREME MEASURES for the turtles. Nest to dune closures, even if the nest is far from the dune. They also put up a black corridor to the water to guide them which is fine and I feel it is enough protection with a small roped off area. Closures to the dune line are unnecessary. It just seems to me that it's one more excuse to keep people off the beach.
As a resident of the area, I have seen businesses down this year and I fear it will get worse next year. I'm sure the economy plays a factor but the beach closures definately have contributed.
People come here yearly for our beaches, many of the most beautiful are accessible only by orv unless you can walk a couple of miles. Even walking is also out of the question with the closures.
Enough is enough. The park belongs to the prople and we can co-exhist but there are those who want humans out.
Just want to agree with what FHTS had to say about buisness being off this year.My family started coming to the OBX about 25 years ago.We fell in in love with Hatteras the first day there.We averaged two to four trip a year up until this year.We work hard all year to be able to do this.With the closures this year affecting most all of the areas we fish that changed.My family is now three familys.Of the three familys only one trip this year.We will be in Hatteras the 1st week of october.This trip was booked in oct of last year before the concent decree.My choice here is go or loose by money.No refunds for beach closures.We are one family.How many others who came this year will not be back next because of the closures.Many that come to the CHNS this year had no idea what was happening.I have all the respest in the world for our beaches and the wildlife that is there.But enough is enough.We can land on the moon .Fly around in space.But we can't figure out how to drive around a turtle nest without doing harm to the eggs.You've got to kidding.I feel for all of the buisness owners on the OBX.Next year will be worse if the management our beaches is not returned to NPS and access is returned.Thanks for listing. CLM
Sad stuff. I live in California and we keep motorized vehicles off most of our beaches, even proposing opening beaches up to vehicles would cause a riot. The internal combustion engine is dying, but it will take a generation for those die hards to let go. Go read a book about sea turtles- we've just about wiped them out, and we do not know what the effect of that will be. Such short sightedness. In CA fishermen and people who care about the ocean now for the most part work together on these issues. I sure hope that makes it's way east.
Sea turtles are indead protected under the endangered species act. You can check out the status of each species here: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/
Everyone is intitled to their opinion, but please, give the right facts. Pea Island is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, not the NPS or Cape Hatteras NS. For years, the number of nests moved in Pea Island has raised concerns but they are usually moved because of possible loss. In the seashore, trained staff are allowed to move nests when the same conditions exist. Under previous superintendents, some nests were moved after pressure was brought to bear from ORV access groups because the nest location would cause a full beach closure.
Putting up the filter fence, which blocks light from houses, beach fires, and ORVs, framing the nest, expanding the enclosure all takes several hours. Volunteers are not the answer all the time. Cape Hatteras lost it's full time volunteer coordinator in the summer of 2006 and this position has not been replaced. At the time, the coordinator was based in the seashore and worked with the schools, community groups, and interested parties to encourage resource stewardship, help train volunteers, id projects, etc. Now, the volunteer program is managed by the chief of interpretation which is based 70 + miles away in Manteo and there is no full time coordinator. Do you really think the Chief of Interpretation really has time to put into a volunteer program? I wouldn't blame the superintendent for not wanting community volunteers--there is no one to train and oversee them.
Anon Ex-CAHA employee,
Thanks for pointing out the errors in my data. I’m certainly not an expert, but have become much more learned in these matters since April 30th of this year. As I've said before, the only benefit of the CD that I've truly seen so far is the knowledge that we have collectively gained about the species in question. Comments from on-the-ground folks like yourself help us all to learn more about this subject. Spirited debate such as this is also fruitful to all in that it is a great form of “Brainstorming”, where all ideas and opinions have merit.
Perhaps my time quotes necessary for raking nests are understated. However, my comments were not directed at raking every single nest out there, for that would be a daunting and probably impossible task. Rather, I was referring to only the nests that are adjacent to ramps/blocking through access from ramp to another, or are in high predation areas. While I respect your time and observations as an NPS Biotech, I would still very much like to see this theory tested. I’m not exaggerating about civilians wanting to volunteer their help, either. I still like to see theories scientifically tested and proven to either pass or fail, and not discarded off-hand.
Pursuant to the nests moved in PINWR versus CHNSRA, do I understand your comments to mean that PI is part of the DOA/USFS? I also comprehend that there are different protocols, procedures, etc. between the two bureaus. However, if we are talking simply about species conservation coupled with the plausibility of relocating turtle nests, ignoring which dept. of government that they report to, I still can’t see why it is done one place and not the other. EX: If a turtle nest in area A is moved for reason B, under gov’t. banner C, then I see no reason why a nest in area X cannot be moved for reason Y under banner Z. The hatchlings do not know the difference, and the risks are identical.
Yes, I would like nothing more than to see a better survival ration than 1:3000. As a PADI certified Divemaster, I have been lucky enough to encounter these intriguing and beautiful creatures on many occasions while on wreck dives off the Hatteras coast. They are truly a marvel to see while swimming, as their massive bulk is not a detriment to their movements in the underwater environment. I certainly wish them nothing but the best chances for survival.
However, I would pose this question to you: If moving only some of the nests and introducing the already proven technique of artificial incubation would produce better results than on-beach measures, would you give THAT a chance?
Anon
You are correct this is "Sad stuff".
You said " I live in California and we keep motorized vehicles off most of our beaches, Go read a book about sea turtles- we've just about wiped them out, and we do not know what the effect of that will be." So you dont allow vehicles on the beaches which are vastly different from our beaches here on the right coast. There really is no access to the beaches on Hatteras if you dont have an ORV or cottage rental on the beach.
By not allowing vehicles on the beach out there have you seen the turtle population rebound?
We seem to have an abundance of turtles here in the Chesapeake Bay. I see them almost everytime I go out on my boat 1-2 times a week. Im all for conservation of wildlife. The problem I have is people are willing to help but certain enviro org dont seem to want any help other than a donation!. Will money save or help with the turtle population if you have free volunteers working together? I dont think so. If it were really about the wildlife things would be done differently. I dont drive my ORV on Hatteras by choice but the crap that is being forced upon our so called free society is just that crap. The Interim Plan was a step in the right direction but without DOW and Audobon sueing how are they suppose to support theirselves. They need to make their payroll from somewhere and under the consent decree they did just that. Made their PAYROLL! You and I are paying their fees. Its all about the Money with them. You being from California and not knowing the geological layout of Hatteras yet commenting about ORV is tellng me alot about your views. Gay marriage is legal out there isn't it? You didnt hear me commenting on what happens in your state did you?
Such short sightedness.