Boaters heading for the night at Christmas Cove, located at Great St. James island off St. Thomas, are asked not to anchor on the southern end of the bay from Monday through Dec. 14 because 10 overnight moorings will be installed during that time.
The Fish and Wildlife Division of the Planning and Natural Resources Department is adding to the dozen moorings it installed in April on the north side of the bay.
“It will protect the seagrass beds because it’s a critical habitat for endangered turtles and coral,” January Murray, a fisheries biologist at Fish and Wildlife, said.
The area is a popular overnight anchorage for charter boaters on their first or last night of vacation because it’s close to St. Thomas. Use of the moorings is currently free, January said, but added that there may be a cost in the future.
The moorings cost $21,460 and are paid for by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. American Underwater Services has the contract to do the job.
Boat size will be limited to under 65 feet. Additionally, boaters may not use the moorings for more than 10 days.
January said that floating signs will be put up to outline the rules and regulations for using the area, which is part of the St. Thomas East End Reserve.
According to Murray, the moorings are being installed because the community, through the Reserve’s planning committee, expressed a need.
For more information, contact Murray at 775-6762.
