Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), left, has expressed his disappointment with Governor of the US Virgin Islands (USVI) Albert A. Bryan Jr, right, for getting the federal government involved in the issues arising due to the Amendments to the Commercial Recreational Vessel Licensing (CRVL) Act. Photo: VINO/Government House-USVI

Governor Albert A. Bryan Jr, right, speaks with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum during a meeting in Washington, DC, as part of discussions on federal priorities affecting the US Virgin Islands. Photo: Government House

The US Virgin Islands and marine vessel operators have accused the new maritime fee structure of the Virgin Islands of negatively affecting their marine tourism industry. Photo: Internet Source

USVI Governor, Albert A. Bryan Jr. (left) and Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) (right) held extensive discussions about the increased charter yacht fees in 2025. Photo: Facebook

Under the new fee structure, which came into effect in June 2025, annual multi-night charter licenses that previously cost around $800 have now increased to $24,000 per vessel. Annual day-trip licenses have risen from $200 to $8,500 per vessel, in addition to customary customs and immigration charges that can add another $900 to $1,200 or more for each entry.

The USVI and marine vessel operators have accused the new fee structure of negatively affecting their marine tourism industry. 

Governor Bryan turns to the Feds

Premier Wheatley and his delegation met with Governor Bryan and his delegation once in the USVI and again in the Virgin Islands (VI), and Governor Bryan acknowledged that the previous system was not fair.

“We are not competitors,” Governor Bryan said, “We actually are collaborators; the US Virgin Islands is a product of the BVI tourism, and BVI is a product of the USVI tourism,” he said following one of the meetings held in April 2025. 

Governor Bryan then surprisingly turned around and wrote to President Donald J. Trump and even travelled to Washington earlier this year to solicit the federal government’s involvement.

The USVI governor then claimed that the federal government recommended summoning VI officials to Washington but that he was for the issue to be resolved at the local level.

‘Displeased’ but still open to dialogue

“I was displeased with the governor escalating this to the federal government, because we are friends. We celebrate that friendship every year and, in my view, we should continue to dialogue. If there are any challenges, we get together and we try to work those challenges out,” Premier Wheatley stated at a press conference today, March 6, 2026.

The Premier noted that he was informed by Governor Daniel Pruce that the United Kingdom has received “formal correspondence” on the issue and the question was whether the VI was willing to engage any further with the USVI, “because the United Kingdom government recognises that this is an area that’s been devolved to the government of the Virgin Islands and I believe will prefer for it to be handled on the level of the Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands, but they remain, I guess, aware of the situation and the governor and I remain in dialogue about the situation in the United States Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands.”

According to the Premier, he is still open to dialogue with the USVI despite the controversial move by Governor Bryan.

“But, important to note, we will be engaging. We’ve had some informal engagements with the government over there [USVI], and we are looking to have a more formal engagement in the near future. In fact, I will be writing to Governor Bryan shortly.”

Premier Wheatley previously said that the new fee structure was not made to target any jurisdiction, nor is it retaliatory in nature; rather, it is a legitimate expression of the government’s right to regulate commercial activity within the VI’s territorial waters in a manner that is fair, transparent, and intentionally aligned.