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

CEP Technical Report No. 17
mary conviction is proposed at EC$ 5000. It is a recommendation of this Recovery Action Plan
that the Regulations as they pertain to turtles be adopted and implemented as soon as possible. If
it is clear that adoption will be delayed, then the Minister should consider a special ruling either
unconditionally protecting all sea turtles or enacting interim measures allowing a strictly
controlled harvest (see section 4.23) pending passage of the moratorium.
Also relevant is the National Conservation and Environment Protection Act (NCEPA),
1987, which aims to "provide for the better management and development of the natural and
historic resources of Saint Christopher and Nevis for purposes of conservation". The Act
provides for the establishment and administration of national parks, historic and archaeological
sites, and other areas of natural or cultural interest. The Act allows for the establishment of a
Conservation Commission to advise the Minister on the selection of protected areas, among other
things, and declares that the "Conservation Commission shall promote conservation as part of
long term national economic development". A variety of activities are regulated under this
legislation, including sand mining and the removal of beach vegetation; anchoring, polluting,
collecting or harassing wildlife, and fishing can be restricted in protected areas. The Act also
provides for the appointment of wildlife or park officers. Animals (including wild birds and their
eggs) listed in the Third Schedule of the Act are nationally protected. The Act also provides for
the appointment of wildlife or park officers. It is a recommendation of this Recovery Action
Plan that the Act be fully implemented and that all species of sea turtle be included in the Third
Schedule.
The Southeast Peninsula Land Development and Conservation Act (SEPLDCA), 1986,
describes the power and functions of the SEP Land Development and Conservation Board to
include maintaining the environmental quality of the Southeast Peninsula. The Board is charged
with making recommendations concerning zoning, pollution control, and the development and
implementation of an environmental protection plan; carrying out planning studies; and
monitoring development schemes. The Act also designates the Southeast Peninsula as a "conservation
area", wherein a permit from the Minister is needed to willfully kill, wound or take any
wild animal or wild bird. It is a recommendation of this Recovery Action Plan that the reference
to "any wild animal" be interpreted to include any sea turtle nesting on a peninsula beach.
4.22 Evaluate the effectiveness of law enforcement
There is no enforced penalty for persons violating sea turtle conservation legislation. No
arrests have ever been made, and no fines or other penalties have ever been levied. Annual
Reports submitted to the Department of Agriculture by the Fisheries Officers alert the Minister to
the penalty clause, but there has been no feedback or support for enforcement from the
administration (A. Barrett, pers. comm., 1991). It is vital that support be visible from the top
levels of Government. Since the Fisheries Officers live in the community and work closely with
the fishermen, it is not possible for them to unilaterally enforce the law. To do so would be to
risk loosing support within the fishing community and to compromise their ability to perform
their duties. There appears to be general support for sea turtle conservation legislation within the
fishing community, but what is lacking is certainty within the minds of the few unscrupulous
fishermen that they will be penalised to the full extent of the law for contravening sea turtle
regulations.
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