Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for St. Kitts and Nevis - WIDECAST

St. Kitts and Nevis Sea Turtles…
tion to the protection of turtles and eggs, the preservation of important feeding and nesting
habitats is necessary. A few nesting beaches have been lost in recent decades, mostly to harbour
development, but coming decades will see an unprecedented commercialization of the coastline.
Several large hotels on the Southeast Peninsula and elsewhere are in planning or construction
stages. Offshore, an increase in yacht and cruise ship traffic will mean increased solid waste and
pollution, anchoring, and recreational use of the often fragile seabed (e.g., coral reefs).
Integrated coastal zone planning with an eye to safeguard the precious coastal zone for future
generations is needed. Regulations should include adequate construction setbacks, protection for
coastal vegetation, sewage and waste disposal, moorings and other measures described in this
Recovery Action Plan. In addition to national coastal zone management, improved law
enforcement is necessary. A Division of Environmental Enforcement is recommended.
A five-year national Sea Turtle Conservation Programme is herein proposed. The goals
of the programme are (1) to obtain comprehensive and accurate data on the distribution of turtle
nesting and foraging habitat and (2) to promote the conservation and recovery of remaining sea
turtle stocks. Activities, including habitat and market surveys, management planning, training,
and environmental education, are fully described in the text. In addition to national efforts to
conserve sea turtles, it is essential that St. Kitts and Nevis support international initiatives to
conserve these highly migratory reptiles. In this regard, the Government is encouraged to ratify
CITES, MARPOL, and the UNEP Cartagena Convention (with SPAW Protocol). In summary,
an integrated approach to the continuing decline of sea turtles is needed, including strong
domestic and regional legislation, habitat protection, population monitoring, and enhanced public
awareness.
In order to ensure that the necessary regulations to safeguard turtles and their habitats
have grassroots community support, user groups (e.g., fishermen), conservationists, government
personnel, restaurant owners, and concerned citizens actively participated in the development of
this Recovery Action Plan. The process of involving the community is essential and we
recommend that full advantage be taken of Town Meetings and the media to increase public
awareness of the plight of the sea turtle and of the island environment in general. The support
and active participation of all citizens is needed if the twenty-first century is to fulfill a promise
of independence and prosperity for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis -- and the hope of survival
to many endangered wildlife species, including sea turtles.
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