Turtles May Get Legal Protection

The photo at the left shows one of several turtle nests along Belleair Beach. Hearings are scheduled for September on a law banning lights on the beach during nesting season. Belleair Beach is currently the only coastal community with no law in place. Residents are encouraged to turn off their lights, and most do. City council has already approved the ordinance, but penalties won't be enacted until after the September public hearing. Loggerhead turtle babies hatch at night and use moonlight to find the water. Artificial lighting can disorient them and lead them away from the water.