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

CEP Technical Report No. 17
beach], (d) shielding and lowering light sources (low intensity lighting at low elevations can be
both attractive and adequate for most purposes; the glow can be shielded from the beach by
ornamental flowering hedges or other barriers), (e) alternative light sources (LPS lighting is
known to be less attractive to hatchlings than full-spectrum white light).
It is important that developers and residents alike understand that nesting sea turtles and
their hatchlings are attracted by light. Consequently, lights, even low pressure sodium vapor
lights, should always be shielded from shining directly on the beach. An effective method for
accomplishing this is to leave or to plant a vegetation buffer between the sea and shoreline
developments. Alternatively, shields can be built into the lighting fixture and/or lights can be
turned off from 1700-2300 hrs (all night if possible) during the nesting and hatching seasons
(ideally 1 April-30 November, but peak breeding season will vary by location depending on the
species nesting). To prevent interior lights from illuminating the beach, one or a combination of
the following window treatments should be required on all windows of single and multi-story
structures: blackout draperies, shade-screens, and/or window tint/film with a shading coefficient
(the percent of incident radiation passing through a window) of 0.37 to 0.45.
It is a recommendation of this Recovery Action Plan that lighting restrictions be imposed
as a condition for obtaining a coastal construction permit. As a result of awareness generated by
the WIDECAST project, lighting restrictions are proposed by Young and Scully (1990) in an
environmental assessment report of the Pinney's Estate Development Plan in Nevis. The report
states, "With respect to lighting, special attention should be paid to endangered sea turtles.
Lighted beaches, obstructions, and vehicles on the beaches are all detrimental to turtle
populations. Although Nevis does not presently have legislation to protect sea turtles, other
maritime nations have adopted such measures . . .". The SEP Development Guidelines state,
"Lighting shall be modified or eliminated on beaches where sea turtles may nest."
It is further a recommendation of this Recovery Action Plan that an issue of NHCS's The
Environmentalist and SCHS's Heritage be devoted specifically to solutions, as articulated in this
Plan, to lighting and other sea turtle threats. These publications could then be provided directly
to hotels and other beach-front businesses. Workshops and seminars to alert coastal residents to
lighting alternatives are proposed as part of "Sea Turtle Awareness Week" (section 4.41).
Significant coastal developments on each island, such as Frigate Bay Development Corporation
and/or the Casablanca administration on St. Kitts and the Four Seasons Hotel on Nevis will be
encouraged by local WIDECAST network participants to set an example for other developments
by implementing appropriate lighting schemes, taking care not to drive beach-cleaning
machinery above the high tide line, removing lawn furniture from the nesting beach at night, etc.
Articles in the newspaper and air time on television and radio can serve to spread the message
and provide positive advertising for the hotels.
In the U. S. Virgin Islands, an overview of the problems posed by beach-front lighting
and potential solutions (Raymond, 1984) is issued to all developers seeking permits for projects
which may have an effect on sea turtle orientation due to lighting. Most developers now include
this information in their environmental impact assessments and are designing appropriate
lighting systems (Ralf Boulon, USVI Div. Fish Wildl., pers. comm., 1990). In Barbados, Dr.
Julia Horrocks (Lecturer, University of the West Indies; WIDECAST Team Member) sent a let-
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