General Information

sighting
Indian River County Hardbottom Surveys
25
Southeast
Indian River
27.7 -80.37
Bagley, Dean; Bresette, Michael; Broadstone, Madeline; Gorham, Jonathan; Herren, Richard; Kubis, Stacy; Witherington, Blair E
Bresette, Michael - Phone Number: (772) 467-7726, Email: mbresette@inwater.org
Inwater Research Group, Inc.
non-profit
Active
6/2001
n/a

Equipment and Methods

boat survey

Sampling and Effort

Visual Capture
Sampling regime: annually annually
Measure of effort: unknown cap/area
hardbottom, worm rock
neritic marine
0 14.1
7.4

Captures and Sightings Information

Species No. of
Captures		 No. of
Sightings		 Min Size*
(cm)		 Max Size*
(cm)		 Mean Size*
(cm)		 FP
Observed		 Life Stages** Comments
Green Turtle (Cm) n/a 979 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Loggerhead (Cc) n/a 191 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Kemp's Ridley (Lk) n/a 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hawksbill (Ei) n/a 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Leatherback (Dc) n/a 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.

This report adheres to the following size ranges for life stage classification for these species:

Green turtle Loggerhead Kemp's ridley Hawksbill
Oceanic-stage juvenile < 25 cm SCL < 30 cm SCL < 25 cm SCL < 25 cm SCL
Neritic-stage juvenile 25-69 cm SCL 30-69 cm SCL 25-39 cm SCL 25-64 cm SCL
Subadult 70-84 cm SCL 70-79 cm SCL 40-59 cm SCL 65-74 cm SCL
Adult ≥ 85 cm SCL ≥ 80 cm SCL ≥ 60 cm SCL ≥ 75 cm SCL
Leatherback
Immature < 135 cm OCL
Adult ≥ 135 cm OCL

Other Information Collected

Project Summary

This study was initially a four-year effort to determine the effects of a beach-renourishment project on sea turtle abundances in the area and to describe the distribution of turtles in the nearshore reefs off Indian River County. It is now continuing as a population-monitoring project. Three study areas were defined, one of which was affected by the renourishment project. Within each area, three 3-km transects were established parallel to the beach at 300, 600, and 1200 feet offshore. Surfacing turtles were counted by observers on a tower onboard a small boat. Green turtles made up the majority of overall sightings. Loggerheads were more abundant in the offshore transects than in those close to shore, while green turtles were generally found closer to shore. The vast majority of turtles in each year were sighted in the northern study area of the county, where the renourishment occurred. A comparison of turtle abundance before and after the renourishment project revealed slightly higher numbers in 2005 than before the project.

Documents

No documents uploaded.

Literature/Reports Produced

Inwater Research Group, Inc. 2005. Indian River County sectors 1 & 2 beach restoration in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring. Third annual report submitted to FWC, 22 pp.

Inwater Research Group. Sept. 2006. Indian River County sectors 1&2 renourishment in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, preconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 21 pp.

Inwater Research Group. Sept. 2007. Indian River County sectors 1&2 renourishment in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, interim postconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 23 pp.

Inwater Research Group. Sept. 2007. IR County sectors 3 proposed restoration in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, preconstruction baseline monitoring report. Report submitted to Coastal Technology Corporation, Vero Beach, FL, 23 pp

Inwater Research Group. Sept. 2007. IR County sectors 7 initial restoration in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, postconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 21 pp.

Inwater Research Group. September 2008. Indian River County sectors 1&2 renourishment in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, first year postconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 21 pp.

Inwater Research Group. September 2008. Indian River County sectors 7 initial restoration in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, second year postconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 21 pp.

Inwater Research Group. October 2009. Indian River County sectors 1&2 renourishment in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, second year postconstruction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 19 pp

Inwater Research Group. January 2010. Indian River County sectors 7 initial restoration in-water sea turtle distribution and abundance monitoring, 2009 post-construction monitoring report. Report submitted to FWC, 20 pp.