The Daily Reel: September 13, 2012

• Sea Turtle Nests On the Rise in Florida
• Dutch Owner of Super Trawler Demands Answers for 2-Year Ban
• Grand Cayman Visitors Warned of Amorous Dolphin

Sea Turtle Nests On the Rise in Florida

According to the diligent monitoring and care of St. Johns County beaches by the Sea Turtle Patrol in Crescent Beach, on Florida’s eastern coast, numbers of sea turtle nests have exploded, most notably in the last 3 years. 2010 saw a record high of 885 nests, while 2011 produced 638 nests, and 2012 is at 675 nests so far. While the numbers in themselves may not be that impressive, the last 3 consecutive years are a record in their own right, which shows nest numbers are up 300 percent from the average of the last 2 decades. Experts have suggested that the increase could be due to implementation of the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s, while locals speculate that perhaps the BP oil spill that affected much of Florida’s west coast could have had a hand in bringing more turtles to the east side.

Dutch Owner of Super Trawler Demands Answers for 2-Year Ban

The Dutch company who owns the super trawler Margiris, now called the Abel Tasman, is demanding answers from the Australian government over the last-minute decision to introduce legislation that would ban the vessel from Australian waters for at least 2 years. Many feel Environment Minister Tony Burke bowed to pressure from environmental groups and disregarded research that had been produced by fisheries scientists; Burke maintains that the decision is in the best interests of all types of Australian fisheries, and the 2-year ban will allow time to adequately address the impacts of such an enormous trawling vessel on marine ecosystems and wildlife. The super trawler’s presence in Australian waters is the result of 7 years of negotiation and millions of dollars from multiple investors, who may decide to pursue legal action for compensation. However, the 48 fishermen on board the Abel Tasman risk not ever seeing a penny, for if there is no catch, there is no pay.

Grand Cayman Visitors Warned of Amorous Dolphin

You can’t make headlines like this up, and we have the video to prove it. The Cayman Islands Department of Environment has released a warning to snorkelers, divers, and swimmers of a male dolphin who has been observed becoming more aggressive over time, approaching people in a sexually aggressive way and snapping his jaws. Marine mammal experts are being consulted as to how to resolve the solitary male’s loneliness issues, but until then, people are being warned to stay clear of the dolphin in this region. Here’s why: