 |
Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
 |
|
Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
|
 |
CSI papers 1
Management of Marine Turtle Nesting Beaches on West Indian Islands
Kathleen V. Hall,
Proyecto Tortugas Marinas, La Liga Ecologica Puertorriquena del
Noroeste,
Puerto Rico
Abstract
The nesting habits and populations of the four species of sea turtles that nest on Caribbean beaches are described. The paper discusses ways to manage and conserve these populations. The foremost threat to marine turtle survival in the Caribbean is hunting and poaching. While legislation and enforcement are important aspects of management, experience has shown that education and peer pressure are the best weapons against poaching. Sea turtles also face indirect threats from human population growth and coastal development. Management practices for beach lighting, coastal revegetation, beach renourishment and beach cleaning are discussed in the context of habitat conservation.
