Ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s sea turtle nesting season in March this year, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles officially reappointed the National Sea Turtle Task Force on January 22, 2024.
One of the key objectives of the Task Force is to protect the sea turtles, which are an important part of this Trinidad and Tobago’s biodiversity, and indeed an important global resource, through the oversight and coordination of sea turtle research and conservation activities in Trinidad and Tobago.
The appointment of the National Sea Turtle Task Force is critical given that Trinidad and Tobago is internationally recognised as one of the largest nesting sites for the leatherback turtle in the world. Nesting of other species also takes place on beaches throughout the nation. In total, there are five species of sea turtles designated as Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS) under the ESS Rules, 2001 through Legal Notice Nos. 88-92 of 2014, the Leatherback, Loggerhead, Green, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles.