Sherri,
That is for commercial fisherman only, the yellow fin tuna has a limit of three per day for sport fisherman no license required. There are limits and seasons on all types of fish, shrimp, conch etc. Its up to the sport fisherman to know whats in season and the limits. Again no license required in US Territorial Ocean water, As of Today.

GO to www.caribbeanfmc.com

That's the United States Islands Commercial & Recreational Fisher's information Booklet. Federal Parks have certain restrictions and fee's associated with their waters Key word is( parks).

Thanx Lizard! Good news for me!

I've high hopes that this will be resolved diplomatically in due course to the satisfaction of everyone involved. The BVI government personnel were simply following the rules in both apprehending and charging Mr. Baker on the two counts to which he pled guilty.

All this nonsense about a boycott of the BVI is simply both nonsense and nonsensical. The USVI and the BVI have of course always maintained very close ties and will continue to do so both diplomatically and familiarly.

When Mr. Baker's ordeal is over and done with, it certainly would be interesting to hear his side of the story. As a former short-time (assumed) resident of JVD, was he unaware of the BVI fishing regulations? Did he know that a fishing license is required of anybody fishing inside the 3 mile limit off the BVI?

And didn' t Baker know that when you exit the USVI to enter the BVI whether on a charter or private boat or via a ferry you're required to clear customs and immigration? That's been a no-brainer for years and WAY before Homeland Security was even thought about.

Just a thought, so Cheers and goodnight!

The fine was NOT for lack of fishing license.
It was for operating a fishing vessel that was not registered for that purpose in the BVI.

The law makes no distinction between commercial and recreational, because sometimes it's hard to tell. If they wanted to make an example, this was a bad one. The judge doesn't understand. And she shouldn't have fined someone for the EXACT same offense one week earlier $30,000, that's an astounding $16,000 less than Baker. It seems the first man is a BVI CITIZEN and the usual unfair lopsided application of law applies.

I just found out that the new territorial distance has been increased to 20 miles.
Here's the problem..... who KNOWS what the BVI's regulations are???????

For example, I've tried for years to find out what is the schedule of Customs Duties, so I can make buying decisions while in STT. What is 15% what is 20% what is 10%, etc. I need to know to figure out if the price in STT is really cheaper than the price in Tortola. No one at Customs can answer me clearly. It isn't published. It's like "we don't want to tell." Is that so you can enforce it capriciously to benefit your friends and family, or just to not have to worry about your math being corrected?

GET FAIR BVI! The world is watching us.

Claiming that the BVI just increased the "territorial distance" of their seas is a load of baloney. There is a whole set of laws within the UN Law of the Seas Charter that a country must follow when determining their territorial sea. Based on those laws, a country must submit their territorial seas boundaries coordinates to the UN and all subsequent charts and maps are drawn up accordingly. There just isn't an excuse for not knowing where you are in the ocean, especially if you are a boat captain which Baker was. If you can't read a map, then you shouldn't be captaining a boat. The laws are very clear in the BVI: if you are in BVI waters, you must have a fishing license to put a hook in the water. Otherwise there are some pretty hefty fines. It is not rocket science.

Well baloney YOU are full of it!
GIS 09.OCT.07
The United Kingdom government has enacted an order which extends the British Virgin Islands’ territorial sea from 3 to 12 nautical miles from the shoreline." etc - do news search, you will find this!

Recreational boaters who happen to put a hook in the water are not a threat to fish populations, and no law aimed at commercial fishing boats, or fishing-for-hire boats should punish an indiviual to the tune of $45,000. That is so absurd, it's funny. Anyone who doesn't grasp this simple concept, but instead operates on illogical, hysterical "they done pushed us around, so we get them back, so there!" attitude should keep their mouth shut, stupidity showing.

I'd LOVE to see the USVI, VI, PR, and all other territories FREED, tomorrow! No more on the tit, no more biting the hand that feeds you (tourism, banking, British or US taxpayer dollars, etc.) Do everything exactly the way you want, with your own money, and let the chips fall where they may. I would LOVE that. Oh and by the way, ALL your foreign labor should call in sick next week. Your economy would collapse and never recover, because you couldn't wash a dish, strip a bed, clear a garden, or do any of the other menial jobs that you import those less fortunate to do for you while you are bitching how badly you got it while driving around in your 5 cars, or filing your nails at your 30/hr week goverment job with pension.

Wow Resident...little angry today????

And your point, "resident?" I'm completely lost here trying to fathom what on earth you're trying to say. Cheers!

I read some of these comments and shake my head and woder if people really sit at a desk and find time to write shit like they do. The law is the law when our Caribbean people are put in prison for some weed no one say anything and the fines that go with them. I'am sick of AMERICANS thinking do as they please and get away with it.