Right now, sea turtles, including critically endangered hawksbills, can still be legally hunted and killed in St. Kitts and Nevis. We are calling on the government to end this practice permanently.

Under existing fisheries regulations, sea turtles meeting minimum weight requirements may be legally harvested from October through February each year. This means animals that have survived decades to reach reproductive maturity can still be captured, killed, and sold for their meat.

We are calling on Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to immediately suspend sea turtle harvesting and establish permanent legal protections for all sea turtle species.

What We Are Asking

We respectfully call upon the Prime Minister and Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to:

-Permanently prohibit commercial sea turtle harvesting, including the capture, killing, and sale of all sea turtle species.
-Implement an immediate moratorium on harvesting while permanent legal protections are established.

Please sign this petition to demand stronger protections for sea turtles in St. Kitts and Nevis. Every signature helps demonstrate public support for ending this practice. This petition will be submitted to the Prime Minister and relevant government ministries as a formal request for legislative reform.

Why This Matters

Sea turtles have survived on Earth for over 100 million years. Yet after centuries of human exploitation, many populations have been driven to the brink of extinction. Despite decades of conservation efforts, St. Kitts and Nevis continues to permit the seasonal harvesting of sea turtles, including critically endangered hawksbills.

These animals are already fighting an uphill battle for survival.

Sea turtles face enormous threats, including climate change, habitat destruction, fishing bycatch, pollution, and diseases such as fibropapillomatosis, which can cause debilitating tumors. Rising nesting temperatures are also causing disproportionately more female hatchlings to be born, threatening the long-term reproductive balance of some populations.

Only a small fraction of sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood, and many species take decades to reach reproductive maturity. Every adult turtle lost represents years of survival and the potential for future generations that may never exist.

Conservation Is Also an Investment in St. Kitts and Nevis

Tourism is the nation’s largest economic driver, with visitors traveling from around the world to experience its extraordinary beaches, marine ecosystems, and wildlife.

Healthy sea turtle populations contribute to marine biodiversity and create opportunities for sustainable wildlife tourism. Protecting these animals can support both conservation and local livelihoods.

We recognize the importance of local traditions and livelihoods, and we believe effective conservation must include the communities whose lives are connected to the ocean.

But sea turtles are migratory animals. A turtle protected in one country may travel thousands of miles only to be legally harvested in another. Their conservation requires cooperation across international borders.

Their Future Depends on What We Do Today

Sea turtles have survived for over 100 million years. We have the opportunity to ensure they survive for millions more.

Please sign and share this petition to help end the legal harvesting of sea turtles in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Their future depends on the decisions we make today.