Friday, April 21, 2006
Serious Business
Walton County beach nourishment suspended
April 20, 2006
A Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle was killed early Thursday morning during the dredging process for the Walton County and city of Destin beach restoration project, said Tracy Louthain, public relations manager for the Walton County Tourist Development Council.
The project has been shut down indefinitely until the permitting agencies review make recommendations for their next steps of action, Louthain said.
The project has restored 14,700 feet of beach; 39 percent of the total project and approximately 54 percent of the Walton County portion of the project.
Walton County has taken steps to mitigate the chances of sea turtles being injured or killed.
A trawler, a small boat with nets, monitors the waters around the Liberty Island dredge when is it dredging from the borrow site off the East Pass. The trawler will capture turtles and release them in a safe area, Louthain said.
This was the second sea turtle killed by dredging in Walton County. The county has relocated 15 Kemp's and 17 loggerhead turtles, Louthain said.
When a turtle is killed all nourishment activities are shut down while the Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife review the situation and discuss mitigation procedures, Louthain said.
Louthain will not speculate when nourishment will continue.
April 20, 2006
A Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle was killed early Thursday morning during the dredging process for the Walton County and city of Destin beach restoration project, said Tracy Louthain, public relations manager for the Walton County Tourist Development Council.
The project has been shut down indefinitely until the permitting agencies review make recommendations for their next steps of action, Louthain said.
The project has restored 14,700 feet of beach; 39 percent of the total project and approximately 54 percent of the Walton County portion of the project.
Walton County has taken steps to mitigate the chances of sea turtles being injured or killed.
A trawler, a small boat with nets, monitors the waters around the Liberty Island dredge when is it dredging from the borrow site off the East Pass. The trawler will capture turtles and release them in a safe area, Louthain said.
This was the second sea turtle killed by dredging in Walton County. The county has relocated 15 Kemp's and 17 loggerhead turtles, Louthain said.
When a turtle is killed all nourishment activities are shut down while the Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife review the situation and discuss mitigation procedures, Louthain said.
Louthain will not speculate when nourishment will continue.
