Storm, I know you have your opinion on this but I have spoken at lenght with people in discussion on this issue with the government. The law passed in 1997 was intended and only enforced for commercial fishing operations. If you were recreationally fishing and stopped by the bvi authorities they only required that you have the recreational license. If you read the entire law it's obvious it was not intended for pleasure boats.
They have changed and issued a new interpretation of that law. It was done hastily with little notice.
No one fishing of a pleasure boat prior to 1 Apr with a valid personal fishing license was in violation of the law. I suspect you will also find a change in the new law happens shortly as they realize the requirements are nearly impossible to meet for a pleasure vessel.
G