Modern agriculture and fisheries complexes to be established across BVI
The Minister responsible for Agriculture & Fisheries Dr Natalio Wheatley, has said his ministry is actively considering multiple locations across the British Virgin Islands, which will be used to build modern agriculture and fisheries complexes.
Dr Wheatley made the statement while answering questions in the House of Assembly on whether his ministry have plans on reopening the fishing complex at Baugher’s Bay.
He said: “The ministry does not have plans to reopen the fishing complex at the Baugher’s Bay location. Following Cabinet’s approval at its meeting on the 9th of December 2019, the land that formerly house the BVI Fishing Complex, will be transferred to the BVI Ports Authority, to assist with the expansion of its main cargo handling and passenger terminal.”
Plans changed to accommodate modern facilities
As a result of this development, Dr Wheatley said his ministry was initially only seeking an alternative location for the fishing complex, but following the merger of Agriculture and Fisheries as a single department, plans were revised to seek land which will be able to accommodate local fishing and farming industries.
“We now envision an agriculture and fisheries complex that will be equipped to inspect, grade, process and market both agricultural and fish products and which will also serve as a cultural and tourism facility to maximise its marketing capacity and exposure for local fishers and farmers,” Minister Wheatley stated.
“I must also take this opportunity to emphasise that it is the vision of this government to establish fisheries facilities where fisherfolks can land their catch, collect ice and process, among other services in the eastern, western and central area of Tortola, in Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke,” he added.
Farmers and fishers in support of plan
Dr Wheatley further said that preliminary discussions were had with local farmers and fishers. He said they are in support of his ministry’s new vision for the complexes.
Meanwhile, no timeline was given as to when these projects will begin, or the set deadline for completion. However, Minister Wheatley said he will be bringing an update to the House of Assembly and the general public soon.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
For weeks I’ve been trying to find out how to get a fishing license for our April trip. We are bareboating and have always had fun trolling while we are sailing.
I’ve tried the many different e-mails that I have used in the past, plus a few others I have found on line. No response to any of them!
Does anyone know who to contact? It would be nice if they could make this a little easier on the tourist.
BVI government website or their FB page may have contacts to help you out.
A lot of yacht charter tourists use a local service provider, who can both supply fishing equipment as well as facilitate a Licence. They can be found with a quick web search. I suggest BVISUPCO, you can email them at: [email protected]
Say hello to Fiona for me!
@ Tourist:
I sincerely hope you get an answer, a major problem with any BVI Government ministry/department is that they NEVER acknowledge receipt of correspondence much less furnish anyone with an answer to their enquiry. Very sad state of affairs.
Bait Shops. Ministry of Natural Resources. Police station. It shouldn’t be hard to get.
Concur with the decision to decentralize the Agriculture and Fisheries complexes. Road Town is a small city but it is the centre of business, financial, commerce, sports/entertainment, medical services, education ……..etc and seat of government. Everything does not have to be in Road Town and some services must and should be decentralize. The centralization of services in Road Town though well intended created some issues, ie, exacerbating traffic congestion, increasing parking challenges………etc.
Further, as an example, centralizing softball, the once national sport, in Road Town was a critical factor in its dying on the vine and monster hurricanes Irma and Maria(2017) put in intensive care on life support. Nonetheless, it is a national shame that the E. Walwyn Brewley Field is still in disrepair. Can a territory with an approx $1,000, 000, 000.00 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an Operations and Maintenance budget of $414M fix its premier softball field? Back from digression, a strategic and tactical plan is needed as to which services can and should be decentralize.
Again, though all the actions can perhaps produce quality and provide value for money, what is lacking a national development plan or a comprehensive development plan. A hub will deliver more efficacy.
Moreover, on another note, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Sports, Agriculture and Fisheries is too large. Agriculture and Fisheries should be carved out the ministry and combined with natural resources to form a separate entity.
These guys don’t have a clue. All they’re doing is going to every church, taking pictures and telling you they plan to do this and that. A year has passed and they are still in campaign mode and everything seems to be a big joke.
Where do i go to get deep water fish from local fisherman, ie wahoo, tuna, kingfish etc?
Whatever little marijuana they done plant up pari I believe he done smoke it off. Look at nonsense. Where will you get this money from and how will the government sustain it? Are you not seeing what is happening in the global economies?