LIHU'E – County officials are reminding the public that over the next three months, lights at all county-owned outdoor facilities must be turned off at 8 p.m. unless authorized by the director of Parks and Recreation.

The county implemented this measure three years ago in an effort to protect endangered seabirds during their fledgling season, from Sept. 15 to Dec. 15, when they are most vulnerable. The young seabirds are frequently attracted to lights at night during this period and become disoriented and sometimes fall to the ground.

The aim of this measure is to mitigate the risk of fines, up to $25,000 for each “take,” which may be imposed on the county due to the Endangered Species Act.

A ”take” is defined in the Endangered Species Act as “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.”

Included on the list of endangered seabirds are Newell’s Shearwater, Hawaiian Petrel and the Band-rumped Storm Petrel.

The county, state Department of Land and Natural Resources and other stakeholders are collaborating on the development of a program that would minimize the taking of endangered and threatened species on Kaua'i.