Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST

CEP Technical Report No. 12
4.4 Develop Public Education
4.41 Residents
An information campaign jointly sponsored by Bellairs Research Institute and the
Fisheries Division (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries) is directed at residents. Turtle
meat has long been a local delicacy, but turtle shell products are not popular locally. The few
restaurants that were still serving turtle meat have responded to the information campaign and
have removed turtle dishes from their menus. The Fisheries Division has produced a poster and
a short television programme (1 minute), and has erected signs at beaches to inform people about
existing legislation. Furthermore, personnel from the Fisheries Division and Bellairs Research
Institute give talks to schools and Government departments involved in management of the
coastal zone; e.g., the National Conservation Commission.
Bellairs Research Institute responds to all public reports with visits, and encourages the
public to become involved in conservation activities. Bellairs personnel have also participated in
radio interviews about sea turtles. Prior to the onset of the breeding season, a letter is sent to all
hotels and restaurants advising them of the legislation and about problems hatchlings may have
with beach illumination. In addition, the Barbados Environmental Association (BEA) has
produced a poster on their turtle monitoring activities that was exhibited during National
Environment Week, and a colourful leaflet providing information on sea turtles that is of interest
to Barbadians and tourists. The BEA is seeking funding to make a 30-minute documentary on
the environment of Barbados that will include footage on turtles. Several years ago a
comprehensive full-colour booklet entitled "The Marine Turtles of Barbados" (Horrocks and
Baulu, 1986) was produced by the Barbados Primate Research Center and Wildlife Reserve.
4.42 Fishermen
It is widely known and intuitively obvious that enforcement is impractical, if not
impossible, in the absence of public knowledge of and support for the law(s) being enforced.
This is especially true for user groups such as fishermen. The Fisheries Division has close and
constructive ties with the fishing community, is already actively involved in turtle conservation,
and has played a major role in advising fishermen about existing sea turtle legislation. Copies of
the BEA leaflet (section 4.41) are available at the Fisheries Division and in some fish markets.
4.43 Tourists
Since most turtle shell products are bought by tourists, it is important for tourists to be
advised about the endangered status of sea turtles. Signs specifically targeted at tourists need to
be placed at the airport and sea port, and the role that tourists can play in sea turtle conservation
through refusing to buy goods should be clearly outlined. Tourists should also be made aware
that if the country they are returning to is a signatory of CITES, they can be prosecuted for
importing turtle shell products. More than 100 countries have ratified CITES, including the
USA, Mexico, and virtually all Central American, South American, and western European
countries. Information contained in a BEA leaflet (described above) is also relevant to tourists.
These leaflets are placed in hotels and restaurants at the beginning of the breeding season.
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