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

St. Kitts and Nevis Sea Turtles…
restrictions, such as on the harvest of sea turtles, are mandatory for the future of the resource.
Finally, international workshops attended by representatives of the fishing community, rather
than just government personnel, would allow fishermen to see that each local industry is
important to larger fisheries conservation concerns in the region. At a sea turtle workshop, for
instance, fishermen could be introduced to the latest information regarding survivorship, growth
to maturity, fecundity, and the ability of sea turtle populations to recover from sustained
exploitation. Alternative livelihoods should also be explored. Appropriate workshops might be
sponsored by WECAF, or the Fisheries Unit of the OECS.
It is a recommendation of this Recovery Action Plan that Co-operative members and
Fisheries extension officials be fully versed in the recommendations of this Recovery Action
Plan. To best realize this goal, multiple copies of the Plan should be provided to Co-operatives
(for sharing with members) and to the Fisheries Division. Copies should also be made available
to the Director of the Fisheries Complex in Nevis and to similar marketing facilities, if relevant,
in St. Kitts. Fishermen should be encouraged to participate in recovery actions, such as beach
patrols and perhaps tagging. Mr. Augustine Merchant (Director, Department of Agriculture,
Nevis) has already approached WIDECAST asking that interested Nevis fishermen be taught
how to tag and then release the turtles they catch incidental to other fishing activities. If
successful, a similar programme should be initiated in St. Kitts. Finally, a determined effort
needs to be put forth to communicate the importance of sea turtle conservation to the
spear-fishermen who, for the most part, do not belong to or participate in the fishing
Co-operatives. The spearing of turtles is a serious and increasing threat to sea turtle survival.
4.43 Tourists
Tourism is increasing in St. Kitts/Nevis. The 1989 figure of 72,100 stay-over arrivals in
the country is double the 1981 figure of 35,500 (CCA, 1991). If tourists are not to become an
increasing part of the problem in terms of the environmental degradation of St. Kitts and Nevis,
then visitor education will have to be a priority. The NHCS has engaged in a successful
campaign to encourage restaurant owners in Nevis not to offer turtle meat on their menus
(section 4.41). In concert with such efforts, it is important that persons to refuse to patronize
restaurants and stores that offer turtle products. Since a few Basseterre stores still sell
tortoiseshell items, tourists should also be made aware that if they are returning to any of nearly
120 CITES countries (section 4.31), sea turtle products will be confiscated upon their return
home. If visitors refuse to buy sea turtle products, demand for them will decline and fishermen
may not be inclined to harvest as many turtles. This information should be communicated
through Traveler magazine and other literature widely read by visitors. WIDECAST and the
NHCS are collaborating to design and distribute plaques or certificates to present to restaurants
and merchants that do not serve or sell sea turtle products.
Other problems which affect sea turtles and are related to an increasing number of
visitors include coral reef degradation, indiscriminate anchoring, waste disposal, and beach-front
construction that brings lights and activity to nesting beaches. A colourful, permanent display at
each airport that describes beach and marine etiquette (laws governing litter, anchoring, etc.) and
the endangered status of some local wildlife (including sea turtles) should be a priority for local
conservation groups. In addition, a leaflet should be provided to each tourist by Customs officials
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