Winter Lecture – Sea Turtles and their hunters in the Caribbean: Lessons on Sustainability from the Cayman Islands to Chesapeake Bay

A century ago, sea turtles were once an extraordinarily desirable commodity both for food and decoration throughout the world. In this lecture, participants will learn why the Caribbean turtle fishery ended and how efforts to save turtles reveal important lessons about sustainability for other waterscapes, including the Chesapeake Bay.

Presenter: Dr. Sharika D. Crawford | Professor of History, U.S. Naval Academy

About the Presenter: Dr. Sharika D. Crawford is a professor of history at the United States Naval Academy. She is the author of the book titled The Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean: Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation, and Boundary Making, which was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2020. In 2021, the book received an honorable mention from the Association of Caribbean Historians committee on the Elsa Goveia Prize, which recognizes excellence in the field of Caribbean history.

About the Series: 

The Annapolis Maritime Museum holds its annual Winter Lecture Series over eight consecutive Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. from mid-January through early March. You will be challenged to question and to learn by engaging speakers on diverse topics including maritime history, local history, science and maritime art.

The 2023 series will be held in person at the Museum Campus (723 Second Street Annapolis, MD 21403). Registration fee of $10 per person at the door – first come, first served. Pre-registration is strongly suggested, space is limited. Free admission for First Mate ($150) and above.