World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

ST KITTS-NEVIS"lighters" to the public market at Basseterre, St Kitts. In 1983 the pricewas IIS$0.80 a leg live weight and US$2.00 a kg dressed. There was an activemarket for tortoiseshell and in 1980 a dealer from Charlestown was buyingshell from fishermen for US$16 a kg. There was also a limited market fortortoiseshell and polished turtle carapaces in local tourist shops.International trade St Kitts-Nevis is not a party to CITES and is notcovered by the UK ratification. There appears to be very littleinternational trade involving turtle or turtle products from these islands.Meylan (1983) noted that the dealer from Charlestown was resellingtortoiseshell from Nevis to a dealer from St Lucia, the price in 1983ranging from US$16 a kg to US$24 a kg; and that buyers from Puerto Rico,Dominica and Guadeloupe periodically "canvassed" Nevis fishermen at theirhomes. Meylan (1983) also reported that the ban on importation of turtleproducts into the USA had apparently caused this trade to be sharplycurtailed in recent years.LEGISLATIONTurtle Ordinance, Cap 99., 1 January 1948.Established a closed season from 1 June to 30 September inclusive.It is therefore prohibited to take, kill, sell, buy, possess etc.,turtles or their eggs or meat, between 1 June and 30 September.The taking etc. of turtles under 20 lb (9 kg) is prohibited.Fisheries Act (No. 4, 1984).Draft regulations, likely to be approved, would protect all turtles.492