TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Charter Vessels "Registered" to Fish?

Glenn do you how the tax would be calculated for owner's time? Both when the owner uses her own time and when she sells her unused time (at a discount)?

karen

Right now the room tax on boats is just speculation. No telling what it would look like if it actually passes.

Yesterday I filled out the forms and sent them to [email]cfd@gov.vg.[/email] Received a license from them today.

On the application it ask the name of the vessel, I just wrote "Unknown", filled in the charter company name and type of boat. No questions asked.

I contacted BVI Water Toys about renting fishing gear and getting a personal fishing license. I asked about the boat license and here is their reply:

The due date for the change over was end March. I contacted Conservation and Fisheries last week and it was still up in the in the air what the procedure would be or when exactly this will be implemented.

So we are going ahead as normal.
You can reserve the gear and request a permit. If and when it changes I will be sure to let everyone know.

You can however contact BVI Conservation and Fisheries directly at 1 284 468 3701.

I have never seen the fishing police.

This guy probably wishes that he never seen a fishing police
http://www.soundingsonline.com/component/content/article/216962

OK what is the story? We are going down the middle of May on a Moorings charter. Will I be able to lawfully fish if I get the $45.00 personal fishing license? The only fishing I do is a little in the morning and a little in the evening while drinking a beer and tied to a mooring. I'm very confused.

I would send an e-mail to cfd@gov.vg and ask them for the forms. Fill them out and e-mail back to them with a copy of your photo ID. They issued me a fishing license within 24 hours. They never asked me if the boat was a registered fishing boat, in fact for boat name I wrote "unknown" and filled in the charter company and the type of boat we are chartering. They never asked any questions.

If you want to send me your e-mail I can forward the forms to you.

Cost is $45, and it was very easy to do.

Colleen, you might say the law is a bit Draconian.

I would call or email the Moorings base manager on Tortola to see what The Moorings policy will be for fishing on their boats.

Agreed, that is why I would never take the chance of fishing without a license.

Much more to this story than the Soundings article. The guy treated BVI authorities, from the Marine Police, to the Judge and prosecutor, to the Prison Officials, with contempt. He was lucky to have been released early.

Just got a call from moorings...NO FISHING on their charter fleet in the foreseeable future. Screwed my upcoming trip. Guess we will have to drink more between islands!

TMM was going to have all the boats liscenced to fish. It will be going into effect shortly if it already hasn't.

Correct Genie. I have confirmed that applications have been submitted to the authorities for the entire TMM fleet. Great example of TMM looking out for what their customers want! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> - Mark

If indeed the case it is likely because at TMM each boat owner will be paying the fee for their boat and at moorings it will be the company paying for every vessel in the fleet. It would require some cost benefit analysis. There are good and bad features to both business plans, but the reason we went with TMM years ago was that I worried about this same thing on upkeep. Like the fishing license its an expense under the guaranteed income plans.

Moorings not paying the fee. Each boat owner has to do the paperwork per bvi gov. What a mess

Does anyone have an update on the fishing situation. We are chartering from Conch Charters. I would love to fish if it is legal.

What about snorkeling for lobster and conch. Is that legal?

We will be there July 22 - July 31

if you want to catch lobster or conch you have to go to the USVI.

The fishing license states that no Lobster or Conch be taken, I think the fine is $5000.00 per conch or Lobster found on board, so no snorkeling for them.

I'm chartering from Conch on Friday. They told me that fishing from the boat in BVI waters is not possible at this time, and that they were not planning to purchase vessel licenses.

I was in the process of getting the license for my moorings boat however that will not make you legal. You have to have the markings normally required only for commercial boats and a assigned radio call sign with that also displayed. In other words no fishing off any charter boat TMM or otherwise. My trip in June will mostly be in the USVI. We eat ashore almost every night and generally spend a lot of money each day. The USVI will appreciate it!
G

The BVI and their Draconian laws.

Well i guess we will be spending more time in the USVI. Do you know if i can fish or catch lobsters with a guide in the BVI?

Anyone know what the situation is with private boats who stay in the BVI year round and have normally purchased the monthly fishing license when down ..??

You need to purchase the boat license and paint your boat up like a commercial fishing trawler. They were not even smart enough to write a reasonable regulation for charter and private yachts. They simply cut and pasted from commercial fishing regulations. Oh, don't forget your official fishing log you need to keep onboard!
G

What many missed for a long time is. The boat must have its own document or registration to allow fishing aboard. Each person fishing or touching a line or rod must have their own person fishing licence to fish on a boat that is properly registered to fish. It seems there are/were multiple goals here. One capture the business of the boats operating out of St. Thomas fishing in BVI waters. Two create a BVI crewed fishing business. Three give the legal authorities laws that give probable cause access and prosecutorial teeth with offenders
.

Well maybe I will just leave the gear in the locker in June and July. They might well change it back. I recall a few years ago they were going to insist each charter boat had a life raft aboard . That kind of fell by the wayside, I wonder if the boat registration might as well if the powers that be can get the same money by raising the temporary import fee on all boats 50$ and fuggitabout the fishing boat registration fees for non commercial private and charter boats. If not will get a license and the numbers in the fall.

I'm hoping (don't want to be involved) that they pull over an unregistered charter boat with someone fishing ...will the BVI want to play hardball with a tourist, a charter boat owner? A charter company? With banking revenue shrinking, Cuba opening up, it would seem to be grand prize stupid to treat them like the old guy out of STT a few years ago.

It's been a couple of months now that this topic has been discussed. So, has anyone recently "seen" anything? Boats being stopped? Still being issued licenses? Charter companies giving warnings or info in briefings? Has anyone on a recent trip fished anyway? I know some plan to fish and take their chances. Of course logic says not too but I know for a fact some are planning to fish. I'm on the fence myself. Would I do it up the channel? NO! On the way to Anegada or on the outside? Maybe but I'm not saying! Often read comments that the marine patrol is never in sight and seems like a risk with semi favorable odds.

"Smith said that it was proposed that the fees be raised and one fee be charged."

There are promises in the press to simplify all this for the boating community. What is also clear is the local government hopes to raise the total cost to boats visiting and local almost $2 Million in the process. This paste is from this week:



Long ago we once skirted all kinds of laws including checking in and out during one night or stop. We do not do that anymore the cost of being stopped and made an example of is far to great. So far the only nasty examples have been boats coming over from the USVI. Why take the chance with a night or many more in the BVI jail and major costs in dollars during a vacation. If you must fish hire a BVI belonger to take you on a guided trip.

We should also note the USVI raised the total tax on all overnite lodging to 12.5% of the total tab. The tax on charters in France, Italy, and across the med is 20% or more on the total cost of the boat.

My point simple is going to cost us all when it gets here!

Here is another "no line" option if you and the crew can eat the evidence to bypass the possession penalties...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qaiaU6IzXE

I doubt most of the local boats have the proper license either. If you are fishing off a unlicensed boat I don't think it matters if your caught. Certainly none of the boats carry the proper markings.

That is amazing. One of our crew members is an avid duck hunter and he has a 2 year old lab. He is going to love this video.

The lobster is dead <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Have you ever tried to snag a lobster?

Surprised you did not recognize the lobsters are BVI born, raised, and trained leadership lobsters. They just need Trump to straighten them out and make them GREAT again.

I have only been to the USVI/BVI once before but i had great luck catching lobsters with just my bare hands. I was only using snorkeling gear. However, this time i will be bringing gloves to avoid the thousand paper cuts i received from the antennas.

It was not easy but years of free diving, spearfishing, and catching crayfish has to mean something.

Probably not if you "bahn hair" but a "rich foreigner" will end up in Balsum Ghut until he scrapes up a 5 figure fine.

An FYI for those interested. Voyage Charters has registered their boats for fishing.

Did they paint the required markings on them?
G

Have they reserved the cabin for the observer. Set up the necessary log book for fishing, and the reporting of said log book, painted the numbers on board that can be seen from the air. Briefed their guests on where to turn in the fisheries share of the catch. If you read the code all of that and more are in there. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />