Both JET and NEPA have expressed an interest in seeing a sea turtle monitoring project developed in the Treasure Beach area if there is enough local interest. There was monitoring in our area in 1982 and again in the first half of the 1990s that showed that there have been both hawksbill and loggerhead turtles nesting locally in the past. At this point no one has any idea how many, if any, still survive to return and lay eggs. If we can organize enough people, JET has agreed to train one local person in monitoring techniques and this person can then educate others. The actual monitoring would take place in the summer months when most of the turtles come back to nest but there will be lots of support work needed to see this kind of program succeed. Anyone interested in helping please write me with questions and/or contact information so that we can start getting organized this winter. Thanks

I know of some locals who would love to help. I have covered this subject in past posts. I will be in TB in late November and I will talk to them, and I will print up this thread for them once it has run its course. They do not have internet access or computers. Some of my contacts are very knowledgabe on the where and when of the turtles laying their eggs.
This is awesome. They say be careful what you wish for... This really makes my day.

Glad to hear that you know some locals who might be interested. My concern comes from stories told of ongoing harvest of large adults when they come back to nest on our area beaches. Continued taking of this kind will soon put an end to the local population. I will send you a copy of the nesting data collected from Treasure Beach in the past.

Yes Sally, our messages on this issue go back a few years. I looked up past posts where you and I contibuted heavily on this issue. I would say that 90% of the people who harvest turtles would stop if they knew the facts and truth. At least in my circle of acquantences in TB, it is now looked down upon killing turtles. I asked some if they now ran across someone on the beach harvesting a turtle, what would they do? And the discussion came to the conclusion that anger and violence is not going to help. What they said they would do is calmly explain 'turtle facts' to the harvester, and walk away. I gotta believe that people are generally good creatures, and have a conscience. Everyone wants to sleep good at night.

Sally, you have my email address, so I look forward to seeing the data, and working on this issue with you and others.

True true, violence is not a good path and in the long run education beats it every time.

Some good news:
Pictures of baby sea turtles