Sarasota County follows a record sea turtle nesting season with another good year
By Emma Brisk
November 5, 2026 at 5:00 AM EST
Sarasota County beaches saw large hatchling numbers during the 2026 sea turtle nesting season, but experts note residents could do more to prevent disorientations.
Mote Marine Laboratory recorded nearly five thousand sea turtle nests along Sarasota County's beaches during the 2026 nesting season.
The Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program documented 4,928 nests along 35 miles of coastline from Longboat Key to Venice.
That includes more than 4,700 loggerhead nests and 196 green sea turtle nests.
Kathryn Gentile is the Public Relations Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
She said this year's numbers were good — but not as good as last year's unprecedented results.
ALSO READ: The number of sea turtle hatchlings on Anna Maria Island drop following Isaias
"We had 5,735 nests [last year] and that was a surprise to us all — it absolutely was historic, and it broke many of our records," Gentile said. "This year we have 4,928, which is still extremely high."
One figure researchers noted this year was 253 sea turtle disorientations.
Disorientations happen when artificial lights lead nesting turtles or hatchlings away from the ocean. Turtles can become exhausted, dehydrated or die as a result.
Gentile said residents and visitors can help by reducing beachfront lighting, removing beach furniture at night and keeping nesting areas clear.
"We want to prevent sea turtles from running into obstacles, because hatchlings only have so much energy to get from the nest to the water," Gentile said.
Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation & Research's Senior Biologist & Conservation Manager Melissa Bernhard and Intern Amanda Haywald monitoring sea turtle nests on Casey Key beach on Friday, May 21, 2021. (6647x4431, AR: 1.5001128413450688)
This year marks the program's 44th year monitoring sea turtle nesting activity.
Its staff, interns and more than 300 volunteers conduct daily beach surveys throughout the nesting season, collecting data that helps scientists understand sea turtle populations and reproductive success.
Gentile said that information also helps guide conservation efforts to protect these threatened and endangered animals.
"We're able to continue seeing like either growth or declines," Gentile said. "The last few years have been some of our highest that we've ever had."
The Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program documented 4,928 nests along 35 miles of coastline from Longboat Key to Venice.
That includes more than 4,700 loggerhead nests and 196 green sea turtle nests.
Kathryn Gentile is the Public Relations Coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
She said this year's numbers were good — but not as good as last year's unprecedented results.
ALSO READ: The number of sea turtle hatchlings on Anna Maria Island drop following Isaias
"We had 5,735 nests [last year] and that was a surprise to us all — it absolutely was historic, and it broke many of our records," Gentile said. "This year we have 4,928, which is still extremely high."
One figure researchers noted this year was 253 sea turtle disorientations.
Disorientations happen when artificial lights lead nesting turtles or hatchlings away from the ocean. Turtles can become exhausted, dehydrated or die as a result.
Gentile said residents and visitors can help by reducing beachfront lighting, removing beach furniture at night and keeping nesting areas clear.
"We want to prevent sea turtles from running into obstacles, because hatchlings only have so much energy to get from the nest to the water," Gentile said.
Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation & Research's Senior Biologist & Conservation Manager Melissa Bernhard and Intern Amanda Haywald monitoring sea turtle nests on Casey Key beach on Friday, May 21, 2021. (6647x4431, AR: 1.5001128413450688)
This year marks the program's 44th year monitoring sea turtle nesting activity.
Its staff, interns and more than 300 volunteers conduct daily beach surveys throughout the nesting season, collecting data that helps scientists understand sea turtle populations and reproductive success.
Gentile said that information also helps guide conservation efforts to protect these threatened and endangered animals.
"We're able to continue seeing like either growth or declines," Gentile said. "The last few years have been some of our highest that we've ever had."