CARRIBEAN ISLANDS - May 2009
"Bottle Bead" Sustainable Livelihood project in exchange for the protection of sea turtles
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One of the most serious challenges to sustaining sea turtle conservation in very poor nations is that coastal people have few alternatives to killing sea turtles for food and/or cash. Sea turtles are severely depleted on Caribbean islands due to unmanaged exploitation as well as the lost of important nesting and foraging habitat due to coastal development. The Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST) is launching a pilot project to produce Beach Bottle Beads in Caribbean Island communities. The objective is to use discarded or recycled bottle glass to make beads and jewelry. The products will have small educational/conservation labels and will be sold in local gift shops. Three communities will be selected to receive training based on their capacity to sustain the project, market the beads, and demonstrate that the new skills will reduce pressure to kill sea turtles. This highly replicable project has the potential for expansion throughout the region, with the result of boosting rural incomes and protecting endangered sea turtles. 
Indicates full or partial funding by Seacology Japan
