JUPITER, Fla. — The organizer of a weekly beach dance group in Jupiter said Wednesday her organization is pausing activities until further notice amid pushback from sea turtle conservationists during peak nesting season.
Foreli Blinstrub, the founder of the free dance gathering, confirmed those details with WPTV reporter Samantha Gutierrez.
This is a story we have been closely following the past few weeks amid concerns that the Happy Beach Dancing group's gatherings were putting sea turtles at risk.
WATCH BELOW: Beach dance group pauses activities amid turtle nesting concerns
Happy Beach Dancing holds weekly gatherings at Beach Access 55 in Jupiter, where members come together to dance and decompress.
Neighbors who live near Beach Access 55 say the gatherings sometimes draw as many as 300 people with music and lights, threatening one of the most important sea turtle nesting grounds in the country. They brought their concerns to the Jupiter Town Council at a meeting held Tuesday night.
"We're asking for your help to enforce the federal and state law of protecting the endangered turtles," Dr. Stacy McDonald, a Jupiter resident, said.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, which monitors nesting on this stretch of beach, said the actions of the dance parties are a real threat.
"Anything that's movement, light, noise, that can all disrupt sea turtles from coming ashore to nest," Sarah Hirsch, the director of research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
Hirsch said the orange stake markers placed at the beach to mark nests only tell part of the story.
"We actually only put a physical marker or a stake at about 10% of the nests. Just because you're avoiding a stake with a physical marker doesn't mean you're avoiding other nests," Hirsch said.
In addition to pausing the dance parties, Blinstrub said Wednesday she is looking for a new home for their gatherings.
"I like to find the place that would be beautiful, that would be sandy, that would have washrooms, parking space, that would be even easier, easier access for people who are disabled," Blinstrub said. "Just because there is a place to dance doesn't mean, OK, this is available, because there are a lot of regulations."
Happy Beach Dancing announced last month it would no longer bring lights to Beach Access 55 and will wrap up activities by 8:45 p.m. during sea turtle nesting season.
There had been calls to move the dance parties, which have taken place for three years, away from the area entirely during nesting season.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife website, disorientation from artificial lighting causes thousands of hatchling deaths each year in Florida and is a significant marine turtle conservation problem.
In a statement to WPTV, Loggerhead Marinelife Center says:
"Loggerhead Marinelife Center remains focused on sea turtle conservation, and we are thankful that the event organizers considered the concerns raised and have adjusted their plans to help keep our beaches safe for wildlife during nesting season."
