Sea turtle nesting season is underway. How to avoid hefty fines

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - They are cute and tempting to touch but don’t. Sea turtle nesting season officially begins on Wednesday and some rules need to be followed.

Sea turtles are federally protected, so you could face jail time and up to $25,000 in fines for disturbing one or their nests.

Even feeding, moving or shining a light could land you in trouble with a fine.

South Carolina United Sea Turtle Enthusiasts coordinator Rick Scott said it’s especially important to be mindful of porch lights, flashlights and fireworks.

He said hatchlings follow the moon’s reflection, and he’s seen firsthand the trouble other lighting sources can cause.

“We’ve actually had people with five-gallon buckets picking up baby turtles in their garages where people have left their lights on before,” Scott said. “It’s really sad to see, so just keep the lights off this time of year and be sensitive about the lights.”

SCUTE volunteers found South Carolina’s first nest of the season in Garden City this week.

The nest had 114 loggerhead sea turtle eggs.

In 2023, there were 6,618 nests along South Carolina beaches.

Sea turtle nesting season goes from May to October.

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