Florida Specialty Plate Spotlight: Helping Sea Turtles Survive

All over our beautiful planet there are spectacular species of animals whose very existence is being threatened on a daily basis.  Most of us are familiar with the popular campaigns over the years that aim to help different endangered species, such as Save The Whales or Adopt a Polar Bear.  These movements – and all the others – are not only commendable, but necessary to ensure the continuation of our world’s creatures.

But the question often arises: What can I do to help?

Well, as you may be aware, here at eTags, we love to help. (It’s sort of our thing.) So why not extend that torch to our valued customers and make everyone’s life (especially the animals’) that much better.  Hence, our cooperation with the Florida Specialty Plate Program.  Any time your vehicle is up for registration renewal, if you’re registering your car/truck/SUV for the first time, or actually (and quite conveniently), any time the feeling strikes, you can upgrade your standard license plate for a Specialty Plate.

And what’s so cool about Florida Specialty Plates, you wonder? Well, it’s the genius fact that every Specialty Plate is connected to a charity, and when you purchase a specific plate, most of the proceeds are then immediately directed to an organization with a beautiful cause.

Today’s Specialty Plate Spotlight is – as you may have guessed – related to one of our Earth’s endangered species: The noble Sea Turtle.  The Helping Sea Turtles Survive license plate is a truly wonderful way of supporting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) mighty efforts to preserve Sea Turtles along Florida’s coasts.

The FWC runs a specific Sea Turtle Program, whose reach spans just about every corner of species conservation.

Their very thorough agenda includes the following elements:

• Management, research, and protection of Sea Turtles
• Permit reviewal for coastal construction and other beach activities
• Commenting on land acquisition and management of nesting habits
• Evaluating success of protection measures in the field
• Administration of permits for research and rehabilitation

Each day, the FWC staff oversees the thousands of permit holders who survey the beaches during nesting season, mark and protect sea turtle nests, and assist stranded Sea Turtles. The FWC’s researchers study the abundance, distribution and mortality of Sea Turtles, while their law enforcement team ensures the upholding of regulations regarding the endangered creatures.

Each Helping Sea Turtles Survive license plate sees seventy percent of the proceeds directed to the FWC’s Sea Turtle Program. The remaining funds are distributed via the Sea Turtle Conservancy to the various recipients of the Sea Turtle Grants Program.

The Sea Turtle Grants Program provides funding to support ongoing marine turtle permit activities. Each year, the Sea Turtle Grants Committee randomly chooses ten organizations or institutions who are dedicated to the various facets involved in the cause of Sea Turtles. Those parties awarded may continue their work with the extra help of the $1,000 grant.

Some of the relevant undertakings by the Sea Turtle Grant recipients are:

• Nesting Beach Surveys
• Stranding and Salvage
• Rehabilitation Efforts
• Development, production, and distribution of educational materials
• Research of marine turtle conservation

The Sea Turtle has been living on Planet Earth for 110 million years – one of the oldest and most revered species in the world.  And yet, because of human interference, they face perils such as habitat encroachment and degradation, pollution, incidental capture by commercial fisheries, and accidents involving watercraft. These are only a few of the hazards the Sea Turtle faces on a daily basis.

To give you an idea of how extensive and intensive some the work done by the FWC is, here is just one branch’s (the Habitat and Species Conservation) responsibilities:

• Manage aquatic habitat for marine, estuarine and freshwater systems to benefit the broadest possible range of fish and wildlife.
• Manage natural plant communities on public spaces to ensure diversity of wildlife species as well as quality recreational experiences.
• Partner together with landowners to provide for a diversity of species.
• Make support and assistance available for habitat-related issues to private and public sector landowners, including local, state and federal governments.
• Develop and implement species management programs that serve as conservation schemes for managing threatened species
• Create conservation programs that are designed to maintain Florida’s unique wildlife diversity.
• Integrate non-native species management and research to protect native species in Florida, with focus on prevention, early detection and quick response to introduction of non-natives.
• Spearhead conservation programs for imperiled species such as manatees, Florida panthers, and sea turtles to help grow these populations.
• Oversee and manage the control of invasive plants on public conservation lands and in public water in order to protect native plant and animal life, human health, safety, recreation, and property.
• Enhance the visitor experience in Florida’s wildlife management area system, promoting wildlife-focused tourism and engaging volunteers to participate in the agency’s conservation mission.

Bearing all this in mind, the gesture of purchasing a Helping Sea Turtles Survive license plate seems to sort of pale in comparison to the groundwork being executed each day by so many dedicated humans.  It’s actually an honor for us to be associated with this organization by way of offering their Specialty Plate when you next require registration services.

As a reminder, you don’t have to be in your renewal period or even registering a vehicle for the first time.

You can simply visit us at any time you like and upgrade to a Specialty Plate.  The process is quick, straightforward, and probably takes less time than waiting for your triple-shot, non-fat, half-caff coffee at the drive-thru.

If you’ve been keeping up with our blog (ahem!) you’ll know that we consistently spotlight different Specialty Plates in our ongoing series. Each plate has a different theme and a different charity behind it. But the one thing they all have in common is that your upgrade makes it super easy to spread a little good, a little joy, and a little support, out into the world.  And it’s our privilege to facilitate this.  Cause, you know….we’re here to help!