by HEATHER-LYNN EVANSON

THE ISLAND'S sea turtle population appears to be on the rebound.

But all could be for nought, one outspoken environmentalist says, if development along the island's coast lines continues unabated.

During a recent marine clean-up of Carlisle Bay, St Michael, hosted by Dive Barbados, marine biologist Andre Miller was pleased to report that divers had come face to face with many of the friendly sea creatures.

He explained the area near the Hilton Hotel was a big turtle nesting site, and the turtles usually swam into Carlisle Bay to forage.

"So even when we were diving, the guys were seeing a lot of turtles. The population is still critically endangered but it's a nice sign we are seeing so many again," Miller told the WEEKEND NATION.

"What we don't want to see," he added, "is turtles eating this plastic – which is why we try to get it out, because if algae grows on the plastic, they (turtles) sometimes try to graze, [that is], get the algae off the plastic and swallow some of it as well."

Founding member and secretary/treasurer of the Barbados Marine Trust, James Blades, attributed the increase in the turtle population to their having been "strictly managed for the last 25 years".

"And it's working. The turtles are coming back," Blades said.

However, he felt the population could be heading for trouble, due to development taking place along the South and West Coasts.

"There is a massive amount of development on the West Coast, massive amounts on the South Coast and the development is crowding turtles out," he said.

"So while we have been successful in managing them now, we have a new wave of development that is going to have significant impact on a globally endangered species," he told the WEEKEND NATION.

"It all sounds good that they are coming back. What we need to think is that we have managed them and they've come back, but we are starting to go in the other direction. If we continue on the path that we are going with development, we are going to hinder their prospects," Blades added.

The endangered hawkesbill and leatherback turtles have been protected by the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, which was started in 1987.

It is a joint activity of the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, and the Fisheries Division.