'Fay' may have hurt coastal turtles

Tropical storm Fay’s trek through south Georgia might have had an adverse effect on the state’s loggerhead sea turtle nests.

It's already expected to be a record nesting season for the state and federally-protected loggerhead--officials predict a total of nearly 16-hundred nests to be recorded.

It's now in the middle of hatching season. But because of the rough weather on the coast the past two days, the fear is many of those nests may have been destroyed. Mark Dodd heads the sea turtle program for the Department of Natural Resources.

"Tide has been much higher than predicted and there’s been a bit of a storm surge. We have some preliminary reports from some of the barrier islands and it appears some nests have been affected but we really don’t know to what extent at this point".

Dodd says he expects sea turtle interns and technicians to hit the beaches over the weekend to begin to survey the possible damage to the nests.

Jekyll toughens rules to help turtles

Sea turtles on Jekyll Island will get some help on the beaches. The island’s Board on Monday approved an update to rules from the early 1980’s that prohibits lights shining directly on the beach. New rules state that exterior lights visible from the beach must point down and be completely shielded. They must use particular types of bulbs, be of red or amber color, and be compact fluorescent lamps under 13 watts. The rules on lights are meant to protect loggerhead turtle hatchlings from being disoriented.