Green Turtle Nesting in Florida 47 



ter is restricted at all times. The other beaches at Merritt Island are 

 under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (Canaveral National 

 Seashore). Access to the most popular beach, Playalinda, and all south- 

 ern beaches within the seashore, is restricted to daylight hours. The 

 farthest south section of beach is under the jurisdiction of Cape Canav- 

 eral Air Force Station, and public access is restricted. 



Hutchinson Island 



Ownership: Private, 15 km; St. Lucie and Martin counties, < 1.6 

 km 



Use: Recreation. 



Hutchinson Island is a 36 km barrier island in an area that is expe- 

 riencing rapid development, primarily in the south. It has a dune system 

 which rises to 5 m in some areas. Beaches are rather narrow and sup- 

 ported by sand streaming toward the south. The island is experiencing 

 erosion, which is most severe in the north and gradually tapers off to 

 the south. As of 1979, 37.8 percent (13.6 km) of beachfront had been 

 developed; development is interspersed with undeveloped land in private 

 ownership and county recreation beaches. Sea turtle nesting is lowest in 

 the north in areas of worst erosion and, in the south, most nesting 

 occurs on undeveloped beaches (Gallagher et al., in press). 



Hobe Sound 



Ownership: U.S. Government, 5.15 km; City (Jupiter Island), 0.16 

 km; Private, 0.32 km 



Use: Recreation, wildlife protection; limited access, day only. 



Nearly all beaches in this area are located on Hobe Sound National 

 Wildlife Refuge, where public use after dark is not allowed without spe- 

 cial permission. The principal threats to green turtle nests are raccoon 

 predation and beach erosion, primarily at the northern end of the 

 refuge. 



John U. Lloyd State Park 



Ownership: State, 4.0 km 



Use: Recreation, day only. 



Much of the beach here has been renourished by the Corps of 

 Engineers; the sand is derived from 80' - 90' of water from offshore 

 areas. The last such effort occurred about five or six years ago, and 

 extended 1.93 km south of the inlet. John Fletemeyer, Nova University, 

 believes that about 10 years are required for a renourished beach to 

 return to normal characteristics of compaction. Under normal regimes, 

 renourishment is accomplished every 10 years or so. Silt is the big com- 

 pacting problem, not only forming a physical barrier but probably also 

 inhibiting gas exchange and affecting incubation temperatures. As part 



