| St. Thomas Fishermen's Association Protecting our Natural Heritage and Culture Mission Statement |
The STFA was formed in 2004 when confronted by proposals put
forward by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to close large areas of the
St. Thomas shelf to fishing. These proposals were based, not on data
from the Virgin Islands but rather from Puerto Rican data and ill
informed opinions put forward by NMFS scientists with neither
experience in the Virgin Islands nor concern for the impacts of their
proposals upon the fishermen and people of the Virgin Islands.
The STFA was formed, not in simply opposition to fishery management,
but rather opposition to fishery management based on inapplicable
data and ill informed opinion. The STFA was formed to support
information-based and sustainable management of Virgin
Islands fishery Resources.
Since 2004, the STFA has become increasingly involved in
collaborative management efforts with the CFMC, participating in
Council activities, carrying out research projects and directing our
efforts in the belief that both the STFA and CFMC seek the same
goal-sustainable management of resources and survival of a viable
industry for the benefit of the public and the fishermen.
forward by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to close large areas of the
St. Thomas shelf to fishing. These proposals were based, not on data
from the Virgin Islands but rather from Puerto Rican data and ill
informed opinions put forward by NMFS scientists with neither
experience in the Virgin Islands nor concern for the impacts of their
proposals upon the fishermen and people of the Virgin Islands.
The STFA was formed, not in simply opposition to fishery management,
but rather opposition to fishery management based on inapplicable
data and ill informed opinion. The STFA was formed to support
information-based and sustainable management of Virgin
Islands fishery Resources.
Since 2004, the STFA has become increasingly involved in
collaborative management efforts with the CFMC, participating in
Council activities, carrying out research projects and directing our
efforts in the belief that both the STFA and CFMC seek the same
goal-sustainable management of resources and survival of a viable
industry for the benefit of the public and the fishermen.