On South Carolina's Waccamaw Neck, sea turtle nesting season is once again running into problems caused by beachfront lighting. Conservation advocates say repeated warnings still haven't convinced dozens of oceanfront properties to follow rules designated to protect endangered hatchlings.
With final notices being issued, Georgetown County officials are also running into a practical problem: suspected violations are usually detectable only from the beach after dark, which makes the ordinance difficult to enforce.
What's happening?
Officials and advocates are pressing oceanfront homeowners and vacation rentals in Georgetown County to follow a sea turtle lighting ordinance that has been on the books for decades, according to The Post and Courier.
Each year from May 1 to Oct. 31, the ordinance restricts nighttime oceanfront lighting because those lights can lure nesting turtles and hatchlings away from the water, The Post and Courier reported.
According to The Post and Courier, Monica Whalen, a staff attorney with the S.C. Environmental Law Project, said the April 9 notices sent to companies representing rental homes on the Waccamaw Neck appear to have led to some progress, though some violations remain.
"In general, the Garden City-Surfside SCUTE (S.C. United Turtle Enthusiasts) volunteers have seen improvement, but there are still some properties that remain non-compliant," Whalen said.
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Surfside-Garden City SCUTE co-leader Vickki Hardwick said roughly 40 structures still are not meeting the ordinance's requirements. Once a property has been on notice for 30 days, violators can be fined $50 to $100 for each day they remain out of compliance.
Even so, county officials say catching violations is complicated: the lighting problems generally can be seen only from the beach at night, and the building department is not staffed overnight, The Post and Courier reported.
Why does it matter?
Artificial lighting confuses newly hatched turtles, pulling them inland toward places like pools, parking lots, and roads instead of toward the water where they're supposed to go. Properties not obeying these lighting laws create deadly conditions for an already vulnerable species.
The timing is especially concerning this year because beach renourishment work is moving toward Garden City during hatchling season. While crews are coordinating with wildlife officials, Hardwick said the combination of construction activity and noncompliant lighting could create added risks for baby turtles trying to reach the surf.
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Similar disturbances caused by human activity have also threatened wildlife in coastal areas — and they aren't just unintentional or due to individuals not knowing about how nighttime lights cause issues for turtles, for instance. There have been cases where people have purposefully agitated wildlife — one visitor at Oregon's Haystack Rock used a laser pointer to disturb nesting oystercatchers, causing these birds to abandon their chicks.
What's being done?
As The Post and Courier reported, volunteers are photographing suspected violators and recording the time, while the S.C. Environmental Law Project readies third and final notices before giving county officials a list of addresses.
Whalen said her focus remains on encouraging compliance rather than seeking punishment.
"That's why we're working so hard on raising awareness and creating positive change," she said.
Law enforcement is also trying to help. Heather Pelham, spokeswoman for the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, said officers often treat complaints as opportunities to educate tourists and homeowners who may not know the rules. She also encouraged residents to report issues through the non-emergency line instead of 911.
In many cases, compliance does not require major changes — lights can be swapped for turtle-safe bulbs, shielded with screens, put on timers or shut off at the required hour.
Georgetown County spokeswoman Jackie Broach said county leaders may need to take another look at the ordinance if they want a system that is more realistic to enforce.
"It's frustrating because something as simple as changing a light bulb or using a screen or a timer makes a big difference," Hardwick said. "We're at the start of hatchling season, so this has to stop now."
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