Beach driving on Cape Hatteras National Seashore (NC)

Driving on the beach along Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina is a long-standing tradition among fishermen heading to remote spots to take advantage of the world-renowned surf fishing of the region. But it is a tradition that has gotten out of control, turning the beach into a virtual highway and putting wildlife and people at risk.

Species at Risk

In addition to fishermen, daily beach-goers are using their trucks and SUVs for convenient beach access. In their path are nests of shorebirds and other animals including the threatened piping plover and loggerhead turtle, whose existence on the seashore is imperiled by hundreds of vehicles per day.  As a result, these species have been declining at a rapid pace.

A Responsibility to Regulate

As stewards of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the National Park Service is charged with regulating beach driving. The agency is currently undertaking a process to develop future rules for driving at Hatteras. However, the park service admits the process will take at least three years to complete. Scientists and other experts agree that many species could be eliminated from the seashore in that time.

A Temporary Solution

In the meantime, to safeguard the natural resources of Hatteras, SELC, our conservation partners and attorneys for the National Park Service, as well as local and recreational users of the seashore, have arrived at a consent decree, approved by U.S. District Court in April 2008. The agreement will protect wildlife at Cape Hatteras National Seashore while still allowing residents and visitors to enjoy fishing, surfing, beach driving and other activities. Wildlife on Cape Hatteras National Seashore is already showing preliminary signs of recovery less than a month after additional sections of the beach were closed under the new management plan that provides additional protection.