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

CEP Technical Report No. 17
* Ratify all pertinent treaties that would help to protect marine resources,
* Adopt and enforce the Fisheries Act and revise and implement the Fisheries
Regulations,
* Consolidate planning agencies (Planning Unit, SEP Land Development
and Conservation Board, Frigate Bay Development Board) and recruit
marine resource experts to serve on a centralized planning board,
* Further develop policies requiring Environmental Impact Assessments,
including a short list of consultants qualified to do EIAs and to initiate a
plan of surveillance (monitoring, enforcement) to ensure that development
projects adhere to the conditions established by the EIA,
* Even in the absence of complete data, proceed with management steps to
eliminate the overfishing problem and at the same time seek to establish a
system of data-gathering in support of management objectives.
(2) Land Use, Planning and Institutional Framework Group –
* Establish a National Planning Task Force comprised of representatives
from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Development, Conservation
Commission, Legal Department, Chamber of Commerce, SCHS, and NHCS.
* Establish a permanent (integrated) National Development Control Authority
comprised of a policy-making body with enforcement powers which will
replace existing Boards and/or Committees. This authority should include
the Ministry of Development, Ministry of Finance, Legal Department,
Skantel, and the Chamber of Commerce.
* Review and update existing legislation related to land use and building development,
and create new legislation where necessary.
* Strengthen existing institutions.
Similarly, the Final Report on the Nevis Environment Planning Conference (28-29
January 1992) highlighted three major recommendations on the subject of regulatory
mechanisms: (1) a committee of senior level people representing sectors of Nevis with an interest
in the environment is needed to provide advice to the Government, (2) a qualified Environmental
Officer is needed to oversee the proposed environmental developments in Nevis, and (3) the
merging of the Town and Country Planning Board and the Building Board into a new
Development Control Authority should proceed "as soon as possible." In the area of Coastal and
Marine Resources, the Meeting discussed inadequate regulatory mechanisms and/or enforcement
in the areas of coastal zone management and construction, and suggested that the Protected Area
provisions of NCEPA be fully engaged toward the successful conservation of specific critical
habitats (Nevis Island Administration and NHCS, 1992).
Finally, the enforcement of regulations would be greatly enhanced by the creation and
staffing of a Division of Conservation Enforcement. This might be accomplished by making
minor institutional adjustments to the existing Division of Conservation (Department of
Agriculture). Alternatively, if the oft-repeated proposal to create a Department or Ministry of the
Environment for the purpose of consolidating the environmental programmes and obligations of
the Government were to be realised, then this Department (or Ministry) should logically have a
Page 24