The Division of Fish and Wildlife has received funding from the Caribbean Fishery Management Council to host meetings in an effort to develop fish-trap management plans for the Virgin Islands, according to a press release from Director Beulah Dalmida-Smith.
The purpose of these meetings is to form steering committees, which would be responsible for developing trap management plans for St. Thomas and St. Croix. The plans may contain recommendations for a limit on the total number of fish traps and/or developing a limited entry into the trap fishery.
Meetings will be moderated by Tony Iarocci, a trap fisherman from the Florida Cays, who previously served on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and has experience working with fishers to develop trap management programs. Having too many fish traps reduces the economic efficiency of the fishery for fishermen.
On St. Croix the meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26 at the Buccaneer Hotel. On St. Thomas, the meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 27 at the Windward Passage Hotel. For more information, call 775-6762 on St. Thomas or 773-1082 on St. Croix.
