By Cooper Stevenson
Published Jun 23, 2014 at 8:00 am

Protecting turtles: A petition calling for the creation of a turtle sanctuary
zone in the waters off Somerset Long Bay has attracted almost 500 signatures?

A petition calling for Somerset Long Bay in Sandys to be made into a turtle sanctuary has attracted more than 450 signatures.

Directed at the newly installed Minister for the Environment, Jeanne Atherden, the petition is now just 30 signatures short of its target of 500.

But more signatures are still needed, said Sandys resident Grace Markham. She began the petition alongside Cambridge Beaches Resort beach manager, Luke Fountain, after seeing a dead turtle apparently killed by a passing jet ski.

“Since the article came out last time, I’ve had another dead turtle in front of my cabana, which I delivered to the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo so they can figure out what happened to the poor thing,” she said.

“I’ve found a lot of people being very supportive of the cause — people I didn’t expect to worry about marine life. It’s good. I’m glad people are realising it’s up to us to protect these animals in their natural habitat. It’s the least we can do considering the amount of sea life that dies due to humans.”

The sanctuary proposed in the petition would include a no-wake zone extended to the boundaries of the seagrass meadow in the area, which stretches beyond the normal 100 metres from shore no-wake zone, and more signs warning of the presence of turtles in the area.

Jennifer Gray, coordinator for the Bermuda Turtle Project, has signed the petition. In a post on the website she said the sanctuary would be “perfect” . “These animals come to Bermuda at a very young age and will spend up to 20 years growing up in these lush pastures,” she wrote.

“They will stay in the same specific feeding grounds for most of those years before leaving Bermuda to mature elsewhere. Somerset Long Bay is a perfect place to create a marine protected area and restrict motor boats of all kinds.

“We could then have a haven for sea turtles and an amazing place to kayak and paddle board in the midst of these wonderful creatures. Visitors and locals alike would love such an eco-experience. There are certainly other areas worthy of protection too.”

For more information or to sign the petition, visit facebook.com/longbayturtles.