| Marine Reserves |
Marine Preservation |
The no-take zones would protect the island's diverse marine life.
VIRGIN ISLANDS N.P., V.I.—The designation of coral reefs circling the Virgin Islands as a national monument, an order by former President Bill Clinton that drew both raves and heavy criticism, appears to finally be moving forward.
Clinton's order in January 2001 created the U.S. Virgin Island Coral Reef National Monument, encompassing more than 12,000 acres of coral reefs, and added nearly 18,000 acres of protection to nearby Buck Island National Monument. The presidential order designated marine reserves to protect the extraordinary diversity of marine life around the Virgin Islands.
Since then, however, the designation has been wrapped in red tape. The Virgin Islands' two top elected leaders, Gov. Charles Turnbull and Delegate to the U.S. Congress Donna Christian-Christiansen, opposed the designation, saying it would hurt fishermen who depend on coastal fishing grounds. They requested that the federal government's General Accounting Office conduct a full legal review of the designation.
That review lasted several months. At press time, its finding had not been officially released, but Virgin Islands Superintendent John H. King and other park advocates said indications were that the ruling would uphold the monument designation.
Once the Park Service gets the go-ahead from the Interior Department, King said, three things will happen: interim regulations for the monument will be published in the Federal Register, the park will proceed with planning for the monument, and the park will begin an aggressive educational outreach effort on the benefits of managing the monument area as a marine reserve.
"Some fishermen oppose the monuments because they fear the loss of some of their fishing grounds," said Mary Munson, NPCA's South Florida regional director, "but there is increasing recognition that no-take reserves actually help fishermen, since they provide safe havens in which fish can grow and reproduce. Fishermen can catch more and bigger fish in adjacent areas."
Before Clinton's order, Department of Interior officials said overfishing from traps in and around the islands had reached crisis levels. Under the designation, fishing would be off-limits in all but two areas of the new monument, the thought being that the no-take zones will replenish area fisheries and restore habitats.
"The science is overwhelming on the positive benefits of marine reserves for the growth of fisheries," said Joe Kessler, president of the Friends of Virgin Islands Park, a group that, along with NPCA, has urged its members, as well as citizens and businesses in the Virgin Islands, to support the marine reserves.
Once people became aware of the seriousness of the issue, they were eager to help, Kessler said.
"The oceans are dying," Munson said, "and these network marine reserves have been identified as an excellent solution to the problem."
