Sea Turtle Conservation

Barbados’ Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts

Image from Save the Turtles

Due to overexploitation, sea turtle populations have declined significantly in the Caribbean over the past century. As a result, the government of Barbados has established conservation regulations to protect these marine animals. According to Visit Barbados, Barbados is home to three endangered species of sea turtles, the green turtle, the hawksbill turtle, and the largest of the species, the leatherback turtle. However, due to human activities such as poaching, coastal development, light pollution, and bycatch from fishing gear, these animals are considered endangered. Population recovery is a slow process as only 0.1% of, or 1 in 1000, hatchlings are expected to reach sexual maturity, which is 25-30 years old. Additionally, according to Carla Daniel (2025), the director of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project (BSTP), poaching has made a vengeful return, and development pressures are encroaching on key nesting beaches, making this one of the most perilous years for them .

How Barbados Protects its Sea Turtles by Law

Almost three decades ago, the Government of Barbados imposed an embargo on all sea turtle harvesting, it was called the Barbados Fisheries Act. This statute entails no person is allowed to possess, sell or purchase, or ensnare any turtle or part thereof, or endanger any turtle nest or remove the eggs within it. The penalties are a fine of up to 50,000 Barbadian Dollars and/or up to two years in prison. Since the enactment of this total moratorium on all sea turtle harvesting, Hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles have become Critically Endangered, while green turtles remain Endangered (BSTP). Regrettably, this act has not since been amended, nor have there been additional laws providing better protection to nesting beaches as the island experiences more coastal development for tourism purposes.

The People Behind The Protection: Community Efforts That Make A Difference. 

Barbados has the second largest hawksbill turtle nesting population in the wider Caribbean (Visit Barbados) with up to 500 females nesting annually (BSTP 2010). While the government of Barbados has been protecting sea turtles since 1998, there is a revolutionary non-profit organization that has been directly involved in their conservation since 1987, the Barbados Sea Turtle Project. For nearly 40 years this project has aimed to “restore local marine turtle populations to levels at which they can fulfill their ecological roles”. With the help of the donors, and the seasonal volunteers, the BSTP is able to operate a 24hour emergency hotline, and saves over 60,000 hatchlings each year. Using their social media accounts and website they are able to broadcast updates on their rescue missions, and educate Barbadians on what to do if they encounter a turtle nest or injured sea turtle.

Balancing Paradise And Protection: Tourism’s Impact On Turtle Nesting

The nests of two of the world’s rarest sea creatures, the Hawksbill and Leatherback Turtles, are made on the beaches of Barbados (Visit Barbados). The Barbados Sea Turtle project says from May to October the Hawksbill nests mostly on the west and south coast beaches, while Leatherback Turtle nests on the east and south coast between February and July. Sea turtles are now not only an integral component of the biodiversity of Barbados, but ironically, have become a vital part of the attraction of a holiday in Barbados. While sea turtles positively impact the tourism industry in Barbados, tourism isn’t as kind in return. The presence of these buildings and developments on beachfronts blocks turtles from getting far enough inland to lay their eggs, causes injury or death of nesting turtles when caught in man-made structures, and the light pollution caused by these establishments often disorients hatchlings trying to follow the moonlight to the ocean.

Global Commitments, Local Action: How International Treaties Shape Barbados’ Conservation Laws

International treaties are one of the main ways small islands like Barbados turn global commitments into real protections on the sand and in the sea. For example, Barbados implemented the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) through the International Trade in Endangered Species Act, 2006. This act provides the legal framework that prohibits the international trade of all marine turtles species and their products. Another example is the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol, under the Cartagena Convention, which requires parties to implement all necessary measures to protect and preserve endangered fauna and their habitats in their jurisdiction. This regional treaty shapes habitat protection and national protected-area planning for nesting beaches and coastal areas. Lastly, Barbados participates in regional programs and uses that guidance to shape national recovery actions such as the Inter-American Convention (IAC) and regional networks (WIDECAST, IUCN marine turtle specialists) that provide technical frameworks, recovery plans (STRAPs) and coordination. 

  

Image posted by vujadaymusicfestival on instagram, photographed by Kurtis Hooper