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Panama City Beach, Florida lifeguards help save loggerhead sea turtle

One hefty save! 200 pound sea turtle rescued by Panama City Beach lifeguards, volunteers

Turtle power! Panama City Beach sea turtle nesting season begins.

Turtle power! Panama City Beach sea turtle nesting season begins. Nathan Cobb, The News Herald © [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds beachgoers they can help protect nesting sea turtles by practicing some simple tips. PANAMA CITY BEACH  Tourists aren t the only ones expected to make a welcomed appearance along Bay County s coast this summer. Just days into the 2021 sea turtle nesting season, Kennard Watson, director of Panama City Beach Turtle Watch, said he hopes this year will continue an upward trend of sea turtles nesting along the county s coast.  We re expecting any week now, perhaps any day now, that we ll get our first nest, Watson said. I haven t heard of any nests on nearby beaches (either), but we re looking forward to getting busy here very soon.

Panama City Beach Florida sea turtle nesting season underway

As a local nonprofit organization, his group works to identify and protect sea turtle nests along more than 17 miles of beaches in Bay County, from St. Andrews State Park to Camp Helen State Park.  Last year, PCB Turtle Watch tagged 47 nests, of which the majority were loggerheads. Some also were green sea turtles. Both are threatened species.  According to Beach Councilman Phil Chester, Florida beaches are responsible for about 90% of all sea turtles nesting in the U.S.  Because of this, Chester said it is apparent the Panhandle plays a crucial role in the survival of sea turtles.   We whole-heartedly support and appreciate the efforts of Turtle Watch and their many volunteers, he wrote in an email. We ask everyone to be mindful of the turtle nests and leave no trace on the beach overnight.

Panama City Beach wooden loungers to remain threat to sea turtles

PANAMA CITY BEACH For at least one more year, local vendors can store their wooden beach loungers on the sand overnight and some seas turtle activists are crying foul. As director of Panama City Beach Turtle Watch, Kennard Watson said he believes this decision perpetuates one of the biggest threats sea turtles face when trying to nest along the Gulf Coast.  That s not addressing the problem for sea turtles, Watson said of the ordinance. It feels like the council is punting on this issue from a standpoint of sea turtle protection. He added that from a conservation perspective, the best option would be for the loungers to be stored either at the base of the dune or completely off the beach at least during nesting season, which runs from the beginning of May until the end of October.