LBTS moves fireworks to protect turtles, reefs
The Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is taking steps to protect threatened loggerhead sea turtles and coral reefs for its Fourth of July fireworks show. Unlike past years, fireworks in Town are being shot off the beach instead of Anglin’s Pier (at Commercial Boulevard) or a barge situated just offshore.
Under its fireworks permit agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Town will hire two marine biologists with Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center to monitor the post-fireworks show breakdown of the plywood platform on the beach from 9 PM to 11 PM.
The two marine biologists selected to conduct the monitoring are “permitted personnel” who work for the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program.
Marine biologists with Nova’ Oceanographic Center inspect Broward County’s beaches every morning during sea turtle nesting season to check for loggerhead nests. Scientists agree the best thing to do is leave the nests where they are. However, the nests are sometimes moved to safer locations if the marine biologists believe that sea turtle hatchlings could be disoriented by bright lights.
As part of its normal daily inspection of the beach in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, biologists will determine if any nests were built in the sand the night before on the beach in front of El Prado Park, the location of this year’s fireworks platform.
If there are any nests there, the Town will shift the location of the platform.
Marc Furth, the Town’s event coordinator for this year’s Fourth of July Beach Blast Celebration, said the fireworks platform will be set up on the morning of July 4th and removed as soon as the Town’s fireworks show is over at 9 PM.
“We want to make sure no sea turtles are harmed,” Furth said.
The Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Volunteer Fire Department and the Broward Sheriff’s Office will patrol the beach on ATV’s to monitor the fireworks area.
The VFD will also use its water scooter and Fire Boat to keep boaters from anchoring on the reef. New regulations recently went into effect requiring the U.S. Coast Guard to take steps to help protect staghorn and elkhorn corals.
“We’ve never had a problem in the past, but we don’t want the reefs to be damaged” Furth said. “The Town asks boaters not to drop anchors on the reef.”
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