Thousands of beachgoers visited Florida's Cocoa Beach during the weekend, leaving more than 13,000 pounds of trash behind. 

As various states and counties begin to ease coronavirus restrictions, hundreds of thousands of people have inundated the beaches. The City of Cocoa Beach reported an influx of day-trippers to their sands. Many of the visitors discarded trash in their wake. 

Local officials were forced to crack down on littering and increase enforcement on the beaches. Individuals who are caught leaving garbage on the sands will be fined. 

According to the new and stricter policy, officers must catch a littering offense in the act to issue a citation. Offenders will now be required to pay a fine of up to $250. 

Fellow citizens may also report littering by calling the police at 321-868-3251.

Uptick

Keep Brevard Beautiful reportedly picked up a total of 33 bags of trash on Friday, 122 on Saturday, and 142 on Sunday. 

Bryan Bobbitt, director of the organization, said the uptick resembles that seen on the Fourth of July and Memorial Day weekend. He urged beachgoers to take recyclables with them to keep the garbage bins from overflowing. 

Trash, if left on the ground, can be particularly harmful to birds, fish, or sea turtles. "It can also cause serious environmental issues," Bobbitt said.

Sea Turtles

On Wednesday, marine experts spotted two sea turtle nests in Florida beaches. The nests signal the start of the sea turtle nesting-an event that extends through the end of October. 

Experts urged all beachgoers to take care around nests. They are also encouraged to call the authorities should they see a nest that has not been cordoned off. 

Patrols also remind visitors not to pick up hatchlings or create obstacles such as pits or sandcastles as they make it difficult for the turtle hatchlings to reach the shoreline. Keeping the beach trash-free will help prevent hatchlings and adult turtles from getting entangled. 

Reopening

The City of Cocoa Beach opened its pier restaurants on Friday. The boardwalk was also reopened to the general public. Visitors can dine on the oceanfront between 11 AM and 8 PM. 

Restaurants removed indoor dining tables. Guests dining on the boardwalk are also subject to temperature checks. Sitting at bars and fishing are still off-limits. 

As one of Brevard County's most recognizable attractions, the Cocoa Beach Pier also reopened a hot dog stand and souvenir shops for tourists and locals.

Officials are making sure the guests remain comfortable while ensuring all proper coronavirus recommendations are followed. Cruise lines are also expected to reopen sometime in the future.

On the sands, beachgoers are allowed to bathe under the sun and sit in beach chairs. Visitors are asked to follow COVID-19 safety protocols such as social distancing and keeping gatherings limited to four persons. 

The Cocoa Beach parking areas remain closed to the public. Standing on beach crossover locations will require people to observe social distancing measures. 

Other Florida beaches have resumed operating with restricted hours. Visitors are only allowed to perform recreational activities-including walking, biking, hiking, running, swimming, and surfing.   

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