Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST

Barbados Sea Turtles …
4.27 Determine incidental catch and promote the use of TEDs
There is no local or foreign shrimping around Barbados. Commercial trawling does not
therefore pose a threat to sea turtles locally and there is no reason to promote the use of a
trawl-inserted Turtle Excluder Device (TED). There are presently about six local long-liners
(swordfish and other oceanic fish) in operation, but foreign long-liners also fish illegally in
Barbados' territorial waters. The amount of sea turtle mortality associated with long-lining is
unknown and should be investigated. The capture of leatherback turtles by long-lines has been
documented elsewhere in the Caribbean, such as in the British Virgin Islands (Cambers and
Lima, 1990).
4.28 Supplement reduced populations using management techniques
There are few data as yet to enable the specific costs and benefits of management options
to be evaluated. In general, however, the protection of important nesting and feeding grounds in
conjunction with a ban on harvest should provide a basis for sustained sea turtle recovery in
Barbados. Some specific management practices (e.g., moving nests threatened by the sea or in
danger of being poached, collecting and releasing hatchlings disoriented by beach lighting) are
already in use. Should other efforts be deemed desirable, methodology should follow that
described in the Manual of Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Techniques (Pritchard et al.,
1983). WIDECAST personnel are available to provide advice and assistance in the design and
implementation of specific management techniques. The protection of habitat can also constitute
an important management decision. Solutions to several common habitat threats are provided
under subheadings in sections 4.13 and 4.14. An example of important habitat is the Barbados
Hilton to Ocean View stretch of beach, which is the most important nesting site on the south
coast (section 4.112); a specific turtle management plan is recommended for this site.
4.29 Monitor stocks
4.291 Nests
The first quantitative estimate of nesting frequency in Barbados was made in 1987. The
heavy pedestrian use of most beaches combined with the relative faintness of hawksbill tracks
made aerial survey techniques inappropriate for west coast and south coast beaches, so members
of the Barbados Environmental Association (BEA) divided themselves into eight groups and
walked around the whole island on three separate occasions (June, July, August). The divisions
were such that the groups could walk their designated route between 0530-0730 hrs, prior to
human activity on beaches. All nests and false crawls were recorded by each group, as was the
position of the nest, evidence of poaching, and any potential threats such as lights, nearby storm
drains, etc. Any nests that were considered to be threatened by erosion, freshwater flooding or
building development were relocated as soon as possible (