Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST
Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST
Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST
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<strong>Barbados</strong> <strong>Sea</strong> <strong>Turtle</strong>s …<br />
poaching, nest site erosion, hatch success, hatchling disorientation, etc. (see<br />
STRAP sections 4.112, 4.291). Responsible agency/group: Bellairs Research Institute<br />
and <strong>Barbados</strong> Environmental Association.<br />
4. Initiate a systematic survey of nearshore marine habitats used or potentially used<br />
by sea turtles and increase the number of non-nesting turtles tagged annually in<br />
order to define important feeding and refuge areas, quantify species diversity,<br />
monitor population trends, and increase our knowledge of the threats to important<br />
<strong>for</strong>aging and refugia habitats (see STRAP sections 4.111, 4.293). Responsible<br />
agency/group: Bellairs Research Institute and SCUBA dive operators/shops.<br />
5. Initiate a project to track juvenile green and hawksbill turtles using ultra-sonic telemetry<br />
in order to investigate the offshore behaviour, movements, residency, and<br />
habitat utilisation of juvenile sea turtles (see STRAP sections 4.11, 4.293).<br />
Responsible agency/group: Bellairs Research Institute.<br />
6. Support/initiate tagging programmes on neighbouring islands to investigate<br />
whether <strong>Barbados</strong> shares sea turtle stocks in common with other countries (see<br />
STRAP sections 4.32, 4.34). Responsible agency/group: Bellairs Research Institute<br />
and the Fisheries Division.<br />
RESULTS AND OUTPUTS<br />
1. Increased knowledge of the most important sea turtle <strong>for</strong>aging and nesting habitats.<br />
This knowledge will enable the development of area-specific management<br />
plans, the designation of protected areas, and the identification of zones where<br />
beachfront lighting and other restrictions may be necessary <strong>for</strong> the conservation of<br />
endangered sea turtles.<br />
2. Increased awareness of the status of sea turtles among the citizenry and tourists in<br />
<strong>Barbados</strong>. An increase in public awareness and knowledge will augment ongoing<br />
and planned monitoring programmes, foster support <strong>for</strong> conservation initiatives,<br />
and will assist relevant agencies in en<strong>for</strong>cing protective legislation.<br />
3. Increased understanding of the population size and reproductive dynamics of<br />
hawksbills nesting in <strong>Barbados</strong>. The data collected will enable us to estimate the<br />
number of individual hawksbills nesting per annum, as well as their re-nesting<br />
(intra-annual) and re-migration (inter-annual) intervals.<br />
4. Increased understanding of the local and international movements of sea turtles.<br />
This in<strong>for</strong>mation will provide a basis from which to determine the extent to which<br />
<strong>Barbados</strong> shares its sea turtles with neighbouring nations, and thus the extent to<br />
which cooperative measures will be needed to ensure the success of local ef<strong>for</strong>ts<br />
to enhance the survival of sea turtles in <strong>Barbados</strong>.<br />
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