(a) The areas within the village limits above the mean low water mark, including the foreshore, are hereby declared to be a sea turtle sanctuary.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully take any sea turtle or to take any action that may or will disturb or destroy any sea turtle, including but not limited to green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles, their nests, hatchlings, or eggs within the sea turtle sanctuary.
(c) Commercial fishing activities permitted by law that are conducted as specified in the General Statutes shall not be governed by this section.
(d) Notwithstanding article VII of this chapter, any violations of this article shall be deemed a civil violation, punishable by a civil fine of $100.00. In addition, violation of this section shall be punishable pursuant to G.S. 14-4 as a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine that shall not exceed $500.00 in the discretion of the court. Any violation of this section may also result in criminal charges as provided in G.S. 113-189 and 113-337. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the village from taking such other lawful action as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.
(Ord. No. 2009-0901, 9-18-2009)