Premier denies reports of illegal Chinese fishing vessels in VI waters
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has addressed concerns about potential illegal fishing by Chinese vessels near Anegada, noting that he received no confirmed reports of such activities.
The issue of fishing nets from Chinese vessels found on local shores arose when Territorial At-Large Representative Stacey ‘Buddha’ Mather questioned the Premier during a recent House of Assembly session.
Premier Wheatley clarified that the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has not detected any unauthorised Chinese fishing operations in the territory. He also indicated that no boat seizures or crew detentions related to illegal fishing activities happened since his government came into power.
While denying knowledge of illegal activity by Chinese fishers specifically, the Premier acknowledged the potential for illegal fishing activities in the Virgin Islands’ waters. He offered reassurance by highlighting measures the government has taken to enhance border security.
Dr Wheatley explained that, as a proactive measure, the government set up the Joint Task Force (JTF) in March 2020. The JTF includes the Department of Immigration, His Majesty’s Customs, and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. Its purpose is aimed at tightening border security.
The Premier also mentioned plans for new legislation that would bolster surveillance of the BVI’s exclusive economic zone, potentially through satellite technology.
Meanwhile, Mather urged further discussion regarding the foreign objects appearing on BVI shores, particularly those bearing Chinese markings.
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Don’t let them in here…or else not even baby fish we would be able to find….
I assume that the joint task force will be flying to Miami (first class on American) and staying at a fancy hotel on South Beach so that they can meet and discuss the problem. They will then need to go back the following week to review and approve the minutes of the previous meeting. And again and again. No other action will be taken.
In the meantime, nobody is looking in the waters north of Anegada to see if there are actually any boats there! Hopefully the US is monitoring the situation, and will let the UK know if there is any problem.
I suppose the fishermen have been seeing mirages of Chinese vessels in the water? Either that or the premier himself is a fisherman and has been on the waters everyday to debunk the allegation. New legislation does not solve problems. How can one speak on border security when we have a whole population of illegal immigrants taking up residence on all the islands everyday? Is the border secure at all? For truth or for untruth?
No arrests have been made so there are definitely no Chinese fishing boats in BVI. Ha ha, ha ha ha! The former premier wasn’t arrested in the BVI so definitely no drugs coming into BVI either. Makes sense! Strupes!
Plenty of people jumping off cruise ships and given expensive rides to St. John but I can’t see 25 miles out to sea , we all know why are authorities aren’t given a budget for radar and drone facilities, it just might embarrass a few businessmen being watched while WURKING .
How longhas this been going on by EU, US UK? For decades upon decades.The Chinese have simply joined the world order practice of leeching the Black World of its resources, just as all of them continue to do in Africa and Latin America.
We have no maritime resources, no military or economic clout or power to fight the worlds powers and secure our food. We are at their mercy.
There is only one super power that is not visible in this. region of the world and that is the Russian Federation. Why not solicit from them a military contract to help secure or livihood?
Drones flying pre-planned flight paths over BVI waters, launched from Anegada, would be a cheap and effective way of monitoring the situation.
the easiest way would be to allow the UK who offered to put a radar system on the north shore of Anegada as its a 200mile out to sea area that needs to be covered, drones do not stand a chance. BUt the crook Fahie said NO
@ @?…
Don’t forget the BVI Government also turned down the undersea cameras offered by the UK (don’t know if the offers were related or made together). But once again, the BVI Government in their great wisdom also turned that down.
is the key so help the slow man. Pelagic fish and other mobile sea life(turtles, whales, etc) migrate with the seasons and currents. Man made economic zones with borders for various island countries are superfluous in international waters. Fishing vessels from all over the planet hunt sea life regardless of these invisible borders and lose lots of floating nets, buoys and other fishing gear that drifts ashore as pollution. It will never stop as long as there is a demand for fresh or frozen seafood.
Radar and Drones would be a cheap and effective way of monitoring the situation.
So the boat that ran aground on the West End of Anegada and the companion vessel were not involved in illegal fishing? What were they doing? We never heard a word about it despite RVIPF and VISAR responding and vessels taken into custody.
All you need is a radar! What ever happened to the coastal monitoring program?
We have no security by design. Stop asking about radar it was invented a while ago if they wanted to secure us from alien ships they would have it already.
WAKE UP THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT and i mean all of it. Do good for your family and those around you that is all we can do when our leaders willfully play deaf & dumb.
Ministers are most likely being paid off to keep quiet about the fishing that is going in in VI waters. Those bribes are clearly working given the responses from the Premier here.
Don’t worry, don’t stress,the man above will take care of it with nonstop showers. DW is on a power ride and he is high on it..
This has been happening for well over 25 years now. I saw them myself. Not asking any one for approval. It was about 20 miles North of Anegada.
Chinese can’t be trusted. The west is at war with the Chinese.
Nahhhhh , that’s what big daDDy Andy said ,and added , WE GAH SOPHISTICATED * B A R G E S * / while a lot of people know the are allegedly used as a temporary storeroom for the “white lady ” that was very creative , even though a few youths went swimming with jAWs and some people got RICH off that BLOOD MONEY , we still cannot OVERSTAND HOW THEY CAN ENJOY THAT KIND OF WEALTH / BUT KARMA WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM AND THEIR FAMILY ,SOONER or later
Do you know how hard it is get get a fishing license here… to get a commercial fishing license here!?!?! Now you just give it to the Chinese? What is the BVI Govnerment thinking?? What is their back end deal with these guys???
Seriously.
We have long since lost our fish stock.
Hving been born in an era when fish was abundant, it is sad to witness th desimation of the our sea food in my generation.