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

St. Kitts and Nevis Sea Turtles…
There are no turtle harvest data for 1989 or 1990 in Nevis. At least three green turtles
were killed on Gallows Bay (probably in May 1990), as evidenced by the shells left behind.
During the 1 October 1990-31 May 1991 open season, about 75 turtles (30 to 150-200 lb each)
were landed in Nevis. These were generally net-caught and kept alive for 2-3 days to "advertise"
their availability; when a sufficient number of buyers (residents, hotel owners) had been
identified, the turtles were butchered for meat and, in males, the penis. Closed season landings
included large green turtles slaughtered at Pinneys Beach on each of three successive Saturdays
in July 1990 and a leatherback killed in the Cotton Ground area in June 1991. Net fishing is
concentrated in shallow coastal waters, generally in areas of sea grass. One day in early October
1992, 12 nets were set between Oualie Beach and Dogwood Point. Some Newcastle fisher-men
also set their nets in waters adjoining nesting beaches on the Southeast Peninsula, St. Kitts. One
day in early 1992, six nets were set in Mosquito Bay (R. Pereira, pers. comm.). Turtles at sea
have noticeably declined over the last 12 years, according to local divers. A "few" were sure to
be seen on every dive until about four years ago; now sightings are irregular at best. Large sea
turtles are almost never encountered (Ellis Chaderton, SCUBA Safaris, pers. comm., 1992).
In St. Kitts, Fisheries personnel estimate that fewer than 50 turtles are landed per annum,
but there is some evidence to suggest that the number may exceed 100 turtles. There are
probably fewer than five active turtle net-fishermen, but there is a rapidly growing number of
spearfishermen. Most spearfishermen report taking 1-3 turtles each year. Charles Henry and his
four friends spearfish daily from Cayon to Saddlers and estimate they each catch an average of
one turtle per month, or about 60 turtles/yr between them. Both hawksbills and green turtles are
shot, but mainly hawksbills. Meat sells for EC$ 3 on the beach and a whole shell for EC$ 50;
total profit is about EC$ 200 per turtle (C. Henry pers. comm. to Tim Sands, Fisheries Division,
1992). Netting is largely a thing of the past, except on the Southeast Peninsula. Traditional sites
included Old Road, Sandy Point, and Dieppe Bay, but few nets have been seen drying in recent
years. Most turtles are butchered as soon as they are landed, especially in the turtle villages
where demand is still relatively high. In some cases, turtles may be kept 2-3 days while residents
wait for hot water to become available. The plastron must be soaked in hot water to remove the
horny outer layers before it can be cut into strips and stewed. Eggs are harvested year-around
and, according to Fisheries Officers, probably in large numbers. Eggs are not available in public
markets, but are consumed by the collector or distributed informally (or sold) amongst friends
and neighbours.
The hunting of nesting leatherbacks (river turtles) continues in Keys, Cayon, and Sandy
Point Town in St. Kitts. Hunters' fires were a common sight on Conaree/Canada beach during
the summer nights of the early 1980's (C. Evelyn, pers. comm., 1992). Today there are fewer
hunters and fewer turtles. In addition to Charles Solas in Keys, there are two men in Cayon who
regularly seek leatherbacks; an estimated three females are killed each year (C. Solas, pers.
comm., 1992). The number of hunters in the vicinity of Sandy Point Town is not known, but an
elderly hunter, Mr. Richardson, reported seven leatherbacks killed there in 1992. Meat sells for
about EC$ 2/lb, as compared to EC$ 4-5 for green turtle or hawksbill meat. In addition to meat,
an estimated 20-30 bottles or two kerosene tins of oil are rendered per leatherback. Oil sells for
EC$ 11-12/bottle, compared to EC$ 5-6/bottle "a few years ago" (C. Solas, pers. comm., 1992).
Solas killed one leatherback on Conaree Beach in 1992, but, for the price of EC$ 60 (a portion of
the profit from the meat, sold at EC$ 1.50/lb in Keys) and 12 bottles of oil, he gave it to a young-
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