Beach renourishment threatens sea turtle nesting season

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]The sand up and down the coast continues to pour as crews quickly try to replenish our beaches in an ongoing battle against Mother Nature. The erosion issue has been impacting beachgoers for months. It was a little rough and I was like, "Oh my gosh, what was I thinking?"

[00:00:16]>> But now marine life experts say there's another important issue buried beneath the sand.

[00:00:21]>> Sometimes those eggs do get washed out.

[00:00:24]>> Marine Life Center in Juno Beach, Dr. Sarah Hirsch monitors the beaches every morning.

[00:00:28]>> Um as of today, we broke 2,000 sea turtle nests.

[00:00:31]>> She tells me renourishment projects can be beneficial long-term, but timing and execution are critical.

[00:00:36]>> something called coastal squeeze, and that's kind of that what we're feeling right now is that we have coastal development and then with sea level rise, that's crunching it from the other side. So we're kind of squeezed in the middle causing less room all around for turtles who rely on soft natural beaches to nest. Artificial lighting, heavy machinery, and altered beach slopes can create obstacles. They can cliff off and make these escarpments that can make it harder for sea turtles to access the nesting beach.

[00:01:05]>> But with constant construction, safeguards are in place. There are a lot of hoops that they have to go through to make sure that they're minimizing their impact. Even if they're out there with lighting, it's minimal lighting. Their eggs were actually relocated outside of the active construction site.

[00:01:20]>> Dr. Hirsch says while the replenishment projects can stir up problems, it's necessary or else the spots turtles have been coming back to for generations will just keep disappearing. Kind of a double-edged sword.

[00:01:31]>> In Palm Beach County, Kayla McDermott, WPTV News.