A study has been taking place during the past two months on the effect of coastal lighting on turtle nesting. Kimberley Lake, a graduate student from Duke University, has been conducting the study and giving suggestions to hotels and coastal residents as well as advice in regard to a policy for the Government.

James Gumbs and Kimberly Lake

Director of Fisheries and Marine Resources, James Gumbs, told members of the press that the moratorium on the taking of sea turtles and their eggs has been extended to 2020 and while this conservation is necessary there are other dangers to the turtles. Light pollution is one of the dangers along with the impact of development, loss of beach sand and vegetation, beach structures, coral reef and sea grass degradation and natural predators. He said that his department approached the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST)for assistance in the implementation of a project to study the impacts of light pollution and to use the recommendations to create a coastal lighting policy for Anguilla. One of Kimberley’s advisers at Duke University is Karen Eckert, Executive Director of WIDECAST, and she recommended her for the study.

Kimberley told members of the press that her study is to identify and rank threats to sea turtles in Anguilla and to make an assessment of the lighting pollution on nesting beaches. She said that the balance of light on beaches is important as hatchlings tend to go towards the brightest light. On an unlit beach the ocean is the brightest light but if there are spotlights and other lights from hotels and residences they can affect the hatchlings and have them disoriented. She said that there are many ways to change this by having low intensity lights, sconces that are turned down, and by turning off lights that are not needed. She has given advice to many hotels and beach residents in regard to best practices for lighting and has had good cooperation. She hopes that her report will assist the Government in formulating the necessary policies for control of beach lighting.

Gumbs said that there is no structured nesting beach monitoring at the moment but residents and hotel guests have reported nestings at Meads Bay, Shoal Bay West, Captain’s Bay, Black Garden Bay and Katouche Bay. Anguilla is one of the few islands that has three species of turtles, the hawksbill, the green turtle and the leatherback, nesting and so it is important to have policies in place to protect them. The moratorium on the taking of sea turtles or their eggs was first put in place in 1995 for five years. It was extended for another five years and in 2005 for another 15 years.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News