Two Rivera Beach men are accused of digging up and taking about 500 eggs from multitple sea-turtle nests on North Hutchison Island.

Raymond L. Saunders, 50, and Carl Cobb, 60, of Riviera Beach each will face two third-degree felony charges — one count of possession of more than 11 marine sea turtle species eggs and one count of illegally disturbing a sea turtle nest, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday.

Why steal sea turtle eggs? Thriving black market in Palm Beach County

The men could also be fined $100 per egg, a total of about $50,000 but that will be determined by the court.

South Florida has a thriving black market for sea turtle eggs. The market will pay $3 to $5 per egg and $20 to $30 per dozen. For the 500-egg load, the men could’ve made up to $2,500.

The black market for these eggs serves people from cultures that consider them a delicacy. About one to two people are arrested in Florida each year for sea turtle egg poaching.

“It’s potentially detrimental to the population,” said Carol Lyn Parrish, an FWC spokeswoman.

The men were arrested at about 10 a.m. Wedesday after FWC had received a tip from workers who monitor the sea-turtle nests of suspicious activity in the area a few weeks ago, Parrish said.

Based on statistical evidence in the area, the eggs were most likely from Loggerhead sea turtles, which are a threatened and federally protected species, Parrish said. The eggs had to have come from multiple nests because one female sea turtle can’t lay up to 500 eggs at one time.

FWC was able to rebury the eggs and will continue monitoring them for outcome, Parrish said.

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TOWARD THE LIGHT:

Protecting the Sea Turtles

The last arrest for stealing sea turtle eggs was last July when a Tequesta man was caught stealing 107 Loggerhead Sea Turtle eggs from a Jupiter Island beach.

The two men arrested have not been previously arrested for tampering with sea turtle nests, Parrish said. They were both taken to the St. Lucie county jail after arrest.