Hon Dr Karl Dawson (R1) was a guest on Honestly Speaking on April 7, 2026. Photo: Facebook

The use of any speargun, self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving equipment, explosive, poison or other noxious substance for fishing in the fishery waters of the Virgin Islands is currentley prohibited under law. Photo: Internet Source

Speaking during Honestly Speaking on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, guest-hosted by Minister for Communications and Works, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5), Dr Dawson said there are currently some challenges with the Food Security Bill. 

“The [Food] Security Bill calls for the establishment of a statutory body, and that statutory body involves individuals working, so there were a lot of regulations that had to be put into place before that could come into position.”

That Bill, he explained, would have put a lot in place, including legalising spearfishing and diving with scuba gear. 

“All those things would be in the eventual bill, but what we will likely do now, because bringing that into force involves so much and that’s why it’s been taking so long, we are in the process of looking at a 1997 bill and making some amendments to that and that might be the quickest way to address some of the issues especially related to the spearfishing in the territory to allow that.”

According to information from a government press release in 2020, The Virgin Islands Fisheries Act, 1997, section 50 (1) states, “Subject to section 35 (2), no person shall use any speargun, self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving equipment, explosive, poison or other noxious substance for fishing in the fishery waters". 

This Act makes scuba diving and spearfishing for marine animals such as turtles, whelks, conchs, lobsters or any other marine species and products prohibited. 

Data needed if restrictions are to be enforced

On March 20, 2026, popular local fisherman Albert Stoutt and his sons Andrew and Zacchari were reportedly arrested and charged with two counts of Using a Prohibited Method of Fishing.

They were allegedly in the waters off Great Thatch, diving for ghost traps, when they were approached by marine police.

While Dr Dawson did not mention this particular case, he added that data is important if restrictions are to be enforced. 

“On one hand, we want to make sure that we are fishing, but we are not overfishing, so we have to collect data, but we also need to be able to say to farmers or fishers to say look if we’re going to ask you to restrict from a particular practice we must also have data to say why it is detrimental.”