City of Sarasota Lido Key beach nourishment project: sea turtle protection measures and nest evaluations. Year of construction 1998 report.

Abstract

The City of Sarasota, Florida, was authorized to nourish the central segment of the Lido Key gulf shoreline using sand obtained from offshore borrow areas. The Lido Key shoreline is utilized as nesting habitat by marine turtles which are protected. Because beach restoration can result in changes, such as in sand density, beach shear resistance, moisture content, beach slope, sand color, grain size and shape, that my affect the nesting activity of adult turtles and the hatch and subsequent emergence success of the nests, special conditions were included in the restoration permit. These special permit conditions for evaluating the effectiveness of the restored beach in conjunction with marine turtle nest/hatch activities are addressed. Surveys of nests sites and monitoring activities were conducted with reports submitted at the end of the 1998, 1999 and 2000 nesting seasons. This report documents monitoring and nest protection measures for 1998, the year of construction. A log the the monthly marine turtle nesting summary reports submitted to the City of Sarasota is included.