A guide for planners and managers - IUCN

PART II
Protected Areas for Beaches
Within the constraints of hotel and personal security, and in the absence of compelling
arguments to the contrary, lights of all new developments, camping sites, and existing
facilities (where possible) adjacent to important turtle nesting beaches, particularly those in
any existing or proposed nature conservation areas, should be turned off no later than 2030
during the nesting season.
Measure 6: Motion/sensor activated
To avoid unnecessary use of lighting that is required intermittently, such as car park,
footpath and washroom facilities, lights can be activated and timed by a sensor or push
button. This restricts light use to the brief periods needed and reduces exposure to turtles.
All essential lighting for public car park, footpath and washroom facilities within 300
meters or direct line of sight of turtle beaches should meet above criteria relevant to the associated
facility, and should be either sodium vapor, yellow-coated 15 watt standard vacuum-type
incandescent lamps, or the “anti-insect” type. They should be sensor or push button activated
and shut off automatically following a fixed fifteen minute interval (applicable especially to
footpaths and washroom facilities).
Source: Rodney V. Salm, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii, USA.
Trash: Trash control should be
included in the interpretation
programme, sufficient trash
containers provided, and
rangers should remind visitors
not to discard trash on the
beach.
Collecting: Usually, no collecting
of shells, vegetation, or live
specimens should be permitted.
Fishing: Should be permitted
unless it conflicts with the
objectives of the beach MPA.
FIGURE II-50.
Protected loggerhead turtle hatchery at Terengganu, Malaysia,
where a percentage of eggs are obtained from harvesters in a futile
attempt to sustain the species.
Fires: Open fires are usually prohibited. The MPA management should provide
barbecue and fire pits as needed.
Permits: Permits to visit sensitive or privately held adjacent areas normally off limits
should be issued wherever justified according to specific rules.
Pollution: Check for all external sources of pollution which could degrade the beach
ecosystem and take steps to reduce or eliminate the problem by negotiation with
pollution authorities or other relevant agencies.
Sand removal: No extraction of sand should be allowed from any part of the beach
from nearshore to foreshore to the dunefield.
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Photo by John Clark.