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Fight over illegal fishing in VI waters by USVI still ongoing!
The ties between the greater Virgin Islands, for example, are marked each year by exchange visits from both islands of senior government officials, civil society and the media, and also the exchanging of gifts. The celebration is known as the BVI/USVI Annual Friendship Day.
However, tension remains over the issue of the USVI violating the VI waters due to illegal fishing. During the 2016 Budget deliberation before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee, the issue was again raised.
While testifying before the Committee, Acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer Kelvin Penn was asked by Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull what were the penalties for persons fishing illegally in VI waters.
The Ag. Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer told the Committee that, “most of the illegal fishing came from the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the US mainland.”
Mr Penn noted that there were cases in which the department had caught fishermen illegally fishing and were prosecuted and fined quite heavily. He noted that the Fisheries Act allowed persons from the USVI and Puerto Rico to obtain fishing licenses.
Hon Turnbull (R2) also asked Mr Penn what is the method for securing the VI waters. To this the Ag. Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer responded, that, “surveillance of the VI waters were carried out by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Marine Centre with minimum assistance from the department…..and we also received assistance from Her Majesty’s Customs.”
Name beach in honour of Bau Bau Gene
Still before the Standing Finance Committee, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Conservation and Fisheries Department were questioned by the Member for the Sixth District Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines.
When asked by Hon Maduro-Caines, if the beach in Baughers Bay was considered one of the beaches in the Virgin Islands, Mr Penn answered “yes”. To this the second term Representative Hon Maduro-Caines asked, if the beach could receive some of the benefits of the other beaches. To this the Permanent Secretary Ronald F. Smith-Berkeley said he will look into the matter.
In addition, the Sixth District Representative told the Standing Finance Committee that she had “received several letters from persons in the community asking for the beach in Baughers Bay to be named after Bau Bau Gene.”
Gene S. Maduro, affectionally known as ‘Bau Bau Gene’, died last year April 2015. He was a community minded person who used to give free backhoe and trucking services and helped a lot of people along the way. He was a frequent user of the Baughers Bay Beach which he single-handedly created. Bau Bau Gene died after what some described as a freak accident.
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17 Responses to “Fight over illegal fishing in VI waters by USVI still ongoing!”
The ministers don't invite him or member of TCPD to their meetings when they talk development. They have no power. Make some noise, Kelvin. Then be ready to quote the section of legislation where they are violating the laws.