Galt Ocean Mile and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Project Type(s):sighting, capture

Site Name:Galt Ocean Mile and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Site Reference Number:18

Region(s):Southeast, Southeast, Southeast

Counties:Broward, Martin, Palm Beach

Approximate Latitude: 26.61 Approximate Longitude: -80.03

Principal Investigator(s):Wershoven, Jeanne; Wershoven, Robert

Point(s) of Contact:Wershoven, Robert - Phone Number: Not Provided, Email: ecovista@bellsouth.net; Wershoven, Jeanne - Phone Number: Not Provided, Email: Not Provided

Organizations Involved:Broward County Audubon Society

Organization Type(s):non-profit

Project Status: Inactive

Start Date: 3/1986

End Date: 3/1991

General Method(s) Used:aerial survey, dive, stranding

	Visual	Capture
Sampling regime:	annually	annually
Measure of effort:	unknown	cap/area

Bottom Type(s):coral, hardbottom

Water Type Zone: neritic Water Type Environment: marine

Min. Depth (m): 0 Max. Depth (m): 242.1

Mean Depth (m): 98.2

Species	No. of Captures	No. of Sightings	Min Size* (cm)	Max Size* (cm)	Mean Size* (cm)	FP Observed	Life Stages**	Comments
Green Turtle (Cm)	187	19	27.4 CCLstd	67.0 CCLstd	43.5 CCLstd	No	N
Loggerhead (Cc)	0	14	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kemp's Ridley (Lk)	0	0	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Hawksbill (Ei)	3	0	34.0 CCLstd	60.0 CCLstd	43.0 CCLstd	No	N	Based on 1986-1987 data, Wershoven, R., and J.L. Wershoven (1988)
Leatherback (Dc)	0	0	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

*All size measurements are SSCL unless otherwise indicated
** For Cm, Cc, Lk, & Ei: O - Oceanic-stage juvenile; N - Neritic-stage juvenile; S - Subadult; A - Adult. For Dc: I - Immature; A - Adult. n/a = not applicable; n/r = not reported.

diet

general aggregations

growth rates

residency

This area supports populations of juvenile green turtles and juvenile hawksbills. Turtles were usually found resting on the reef at night. No turtles were observed during daytime surveys of habitat type and food sources; turtles were only observed during night dives. 4.25 man-hours were spent per capture, and the study had an overall capture success rate of 53.95%. Green turtles were captured during all months, with higher numbers captured during June, August, April, and May and lower numbers captured in September and December. The number of turtles captured decreased when colder, fresh water was present on the reef (mainly in July). No adults were captured in the study, and only one adult green turtle was observed. The size distribution of turtles appeared to change with season (larger in fall and winter). Aerial surveys were conducted in March and September of 1987. High concentrations of turtles were observed in March along the first reef area off John U. Lloyd State Recreational Area, Galt Ocean Mile, and Pompano Beach south of the fishing pier. Turtles were not found close to the coast during the September study, but loggerheads were observed offshore in the area between Boca Raton and St. Lucie inlets, with concentrations north of Jupiter Inlet near Hobe Sound NWR. Turtle dispersal during fall and winter may have been the result of a lack of sufficient algae on which to feed in nearshore areas, but further study is needed. Homing was observed in one green turtle that was sent to a rehabilitation facility for five months, released 10 miles south of the capture site, and recaptured at the original capture site three weeks later. Juvenile green turtles in Broward County used large expanses of hardbottom reef areas for foraging and resting. Turtles entered this habitat from pelagic zones at 30 cm CCL and departed once they reached 60 cm CCL. Stranding data indicated that recreational activities were a significant source of mortality to the population. Visible propeller injuries were cited in 34 of 56 strandings in Broward County during the study period, and entanglement in fishing lines was observed in seven other strandings.

No documents uploaded.

Wershoven, R., and J.L. Wershoven. 1988. A survey of juvenile green turtles and their resting and foraging habitats off Broward County, Florida 3/1/86-12/13/87. Report submiteed to FL Department of Natural Resources, Division of Marine Resources, 35 pp.

Wershoven, R. 1989. Assessment of utilization of sleeping habitat by juvenile turtles off Broward County, Florida. In: Ogren, L., et al. (eds.). Proc. 2nd W. Atlantic Turtle Symp. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC-226, pp. 347-348.

Wershoven, R., and J.L. Wershoven. 1989. Assessment of juvenile green turtles and their habitat in Broward County, Florida waters. In: Eckert, S.A., K.L. Eckert, and T.H. Richardson (comps.). Proc. 9th ISTS. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC-232, pp. 185-187.

Wershoven, R., and J.L. Wershoven. 1992. Juvenil green turtles in their nearshore habitat of Broward County, Florida: A five year review. In: Salmon, M., and J. Wyneken (comps.). Proc. 11th ISTS. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC-302, pp. 121-123.