| dc.description.abstract |
Artificial beachfront lighting is an increasing problem for sea turtle hatchlings
and adult females. Barbados, the easternmost Caribbean island, exhibits particularly
acute light pollution on the south and west coasts, which overlap one of the largest
hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, rookeries in the region. A predominant
source of arti-ficial beachfront lighting is from hotels. To address the industry’s
impact, and following the recommendations of a 2000 national workshop titled, “Sea
Turtles and Beachfront Lighting: An Interactive Workshop for Industry Professionals
and Policy-Makers in Barbados,” four leading hotels participated in a six-month voluntary
lighting assessment. The lighting assessments followed standard guidelines and a
ranking system was devel-oped to objectively evaluate each light fixture based on
intensity. The ranking system highlights fixtures most detrimental to sea turtle
orientation, and encourages hoteliers to evaluate progress made toward sea turtle
friendly lighting regimes over time. The results of the assessment were presented
to the four hotels in user friendly assessment reports that included mitigation recommendations
for each fixture type. The assessment reports establish a lighting baseline for future
assessments and act as a clearing house of recom-mendations for problematic lighting
schemes. The hotel industry bears responsibility for the effects of their properties
on sea turtle nesting grounds; therefore, encouraging them to rectify beachfront light
pollution is crucial to the management of sea turtle populations in the Caribbean
and throughout the world. The study, and the willingness of major beachfront hotels
to participate, provides a replicable model for other countries to follow.
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