Citizens are being encouraged to use certified, registered tour operators when participating in turtle watching tours.
Visitors are also reminded to not venture on turtle nesting beaches alone, a tour guide must be present at all times and tour guides must have a permit.
The advice comes from Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles.
The turtle nesting season in Trinidad and Tobago runs from March to September of each year.
During this period, citizens are urged to pay extra attention and exercise additional caution on the nation’s beaches, especially nesting sites.
In 2013 a valuation of the turtle tourism industry found the average earnings at the time during the turtle watching season for guest houses, hotels, shops, food establishments, bars and agro-tourism was $53 million TT annually.
According to the National Sea Turtle Task Force if there were no sea turtles, the local marine ecosystem would eventually collapse.
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