Shell Island, Island Full of Poop? - Pinellas County, Florida

From the St. Petersburg Times on April 8, 2007 (full article here):

Visitors to Shell Key, a pristine bird sanctuary with expansive white shores, might want to watch their step.

The island is being used as a public bathroom, according to conservationists who want county officials to ban overnight camping, alcohol and pets from the preserve.

"You have too many people for everyone to do whatever they want anymore," said Dave Kandz, chair of the conservation committee for the St. Petersburg Audubon Society. "If you have that many people, pretty soon you are going to have an island full of poop."

The debate is part of an ongoing effort to balance the needs of the birds who nest on Shell Key against the desires of daytrippers who enjoy visiting the island...

"We hope people don't see this as a boaters vs. birders issue, because it is not," he said. The birds, "just will not be able to survive much longer unless we do something positive and responsible."

...There are no trash cans or bathrooms at Shell Key, in part to keep the island undeveloped.
Campers often relieve themselves along the shore, leaving strips of soiled toilet paper.
Other than the obvious ick-factor, environmentalists also have expressed concern that this is a potential health hazard for island visitors.

Dogs also present a danger to the birds who use the island as a nesting area, they said.
In the past two years, campers have been fined for public drinking and unruly behavior.