In the face of the world’s longest legal open hunting seasons, Grenada’s sea turtles face uncertain future.
Learn more about the issues and Ocean Spirit’s efforts here.
Ocean Spirits
Ocean Spirits is a registered Grenadian NGO, established in 1999, with the primary mission to conserve the marine environment and associated biodiversity via education, research and community development.
In collaboration with key stakeholders, Ocean Spirits leads conservation efforts for endangered leatherback sea turtles and critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles, and endangered green sea turtles. It does this through the preservation of nesting and foraging sites and alleviation of local threats and pressures.
Ocean Spirits goals are to assess and monitor Grenada's sea turtle populations, contribute to national and regional sea turtle management plans, initiate community-based education programs that encourage the adoption of sustainable use of natural resources and resource management whilst highlighting environmental awareness.
Ocean spirits is a member of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network
Critically Endangered
Hawksbill sea turtles are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered. In the last 100 years, the world has lost 80% of its hawksbill sea turtles. It is estimated that there are only around 8000 nesting females hawksbill sea turtles left globally. In Grenada, about 25% of the reproductive female nesting population is lost to poaching each year.
Hawksbill sea turtles are important for several reasons, they play a crucial role in maintaining the health of coral reef ecosystems. Hawksbill sea turtles feed mostly on fast growing sponges which left unkept can lead to overgrowth and suffocation of slow growing corals. The presence of hawksbill sea turtles allows the coral reef to support a whole host of other species and maintains a vast range of biodiversity.
Hawksbill sea turtles, like all megafauna, have a significant benefit for ecotourism with people travelling from all over the world to see them in their natural habitats whilst snorkelling and diving.
Green sea turtles are classified by IUCN as endangered. Some 90% of green sea turtles have been lost globally in the last 50 years. They graze on seagrass and play a vital role in maintaining important seagrass meadows that provide habitat for juvenile species, including commercially important fish and invertebrates species (e.g. conch, lobster).
Only an estimated one in a 1000 sea turtle hatchling is expected to survive to become an adult and it take decades before they can become sexually mature. While facing natural threats and predators, they also face pressure from human induced threats. These include pollution, plastic debris, bycatch and entanglement in fisheries, coastal development which threatens nesting sites and the effects of climate change.
“Protecting hawksbill sea turtles is not about protecting a single species but rather safeguarding an entire ecosystem for the future benefit of all species who rely on the reefs.”
Open Season
Grenada's open turtle hunting season is a controversial topic that intersects environmental conservation, cultural tradition, and economic livelihoods.
Historically, turtle hunting has been a cultural practice in Grenada, deeply rooted in local traditions and culinary heritage. However, in recent years, concerns about the sustainability of this practice have led to debates and a push for new regulations.
The Grenadian open turtle hunting season allows for the hunting of hard-shell turtle species (Hawksbill, Green and Loggerhead) of 25lb or more for seven months long running from September 1st until March 30th.
This outdated legislation is highly problematic as it does not account for new advances made in sea turtle research in recent decades. It is also highly problematic in allowing the hunting of vulnerable sea turtle populations, but is also at odds with their biology.
While nesting sea turtles are protected in Grenada, the open hunting season overlaps with the nesting periods of hawksbill and green turtles. During nesting season, female turtles migrate from other Caribbean countries to come ashore to lay their eggs, making them particularly vulnerable to hunting activities.
This overlap can disrupt the nesting process and threaten the survival of future generations of turtles. The continued hunting pressure during the open season is having serious impacts on turtle populations that are already 80% less that they were a decade ago.
The minimum harvest size regulation for sea turtles also leaves the larger, reproductively active portion of the turtle population the primary target for hunting activities. These larger individuals are the ones who have had to survive against all odds for decades fro become sexually mature. Mature, reproductive turtles are the individuals that require the most protection if these populations are to recover.
Over-harvesting can not only lead to declines in turtle numbers but will also affect the overall health of the marine ecosystems in which sea turtles play a critical role.
Despite regulations, enforcement of hunting restrictions can be challenging, especially in remote or inaccessible areas where it is largely non-existent. Illegal hunting outside of the designated season is a commonplace occurrence, further exacerbating conservation concerns.
“Grenada’s seven month long legal open hunting season for hawksbills and green sea turtles makes it one of the longest in the world.”
How We Are Helping
Ocean Spirits has been advocating for sea turtles and marine conservation for 25 years by promoting sustainable practices and conservation awareness among local communities.
This includes initiatives such as community-based monitoring programs, educational and awareness campaigns, and working in partnership with Grenada fisheries, NGOs, and local stakeholders.
Ocean Spirits works to safeguard critical turtle habitats through their beach monitoring, their presence on nesting beaches has seen a 90% reduction in illegal egg harvest.
“Ocean Spirit’s is Grenada’s leading and oldest marine conservation non-profit organization that has forged strong partnerships locally, regionally and internationally to ensure a sustainable ocean future for all.”
A Call To Action
“Ensuring that Grenada’s relationship with turtles endures into the future requires decisive action to protect them before it is too late to reverse course”