GULF SHORES, Ala. — Residents throughout the state of Alabama now have an easy opportunity to support the efforts of Share the Beach, Alabama’s volunteer sea turtle conservation program.

The State of Alabama has given Share the Beach conditional approval for a specialized automobile tag, inset at right. The “condition” is that at least 1,000 people must commit to purchasing the tag, and pre-pay the $50 specialty license plate fee, before the tags will go into production.

Proceeds from the tag, will go directly to Share the Beach, providing much needed funds for equipment, supplies and educational materials.

“To make it happen we need 1,000 commitments,” said Mike Reynolds of Share the Beach. “We need all our supporters to make the commitment and to help spread the word. There is great support for the program,” Reynolds said, “from the volunteers who walk the beach, from people and organizations throughout the local community and from so many of the visitors to our beaches. This is a way all of those people and anybody who lives anywhere in Alabama, can show their support both financially to the program and visually to the world.”

The tag commitment form is available at any tag office in Alabama. According to Reynolds, anyone can go into their tag office, ask to fill out a commitment form for the Share the Beach tag and pay the $50 fee.When 1,000 commitments are obtained, the state will start producing the tags. The group has up to one year to secure the needed 1,000 commitments.

“We’re still tweaking the details, but the basic design is done and it’s beautiful,” Reynolds said. “We really hoping we can get the word out and get these tags in production soon. We have a year, but we don’t think it will take that long if everyone will help spread the word.”

Whenever the threshold is reached, Share the Beach will get that word out, too.

"We will notify all who filled out the commitment forms when the tags are ready,” he continued. “They can then take their receipt to the tag office and will be issued a new tag.”

Sea turtle nesting season is from May through October. Two of the world’s seven sea turtle species come ashore in Alabama to nest. Loggerhead visits are frequent, while those of the Kemp’s Ridley are rare. The Leatherback and Green sea turtle also inhabit Gulf waters, though they very rarely nest in Alabama. All these turtles are listed as threatened or endangered.

Each year, hundreds of Share the Beach volunteers from Orange Beach to Dauphin Island patrol the beach in the early morning hours locating and marking the nests of these rare creatures. In addition, they tend nests during hatching season and provide outreach and educational services for visitors and student and community groups throughout the year.

All this effort is to ensure that as many of the endangered hatchlings make it to the Gulf and have a chance to survive.

Approximately $43 of each $50 license fee will got to fund these and other Share the Beach efforts. For more information, visit www.alabamaseaturtles.com or call 251-965-NEST.