DPNR Deploys New Fish Aggregate Devices Territory-Wide
- Staff Consortium
- September 18, 2020
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources on Thursday announced the deployment of new fish aggregating devices (FAD). The were deployed on Thursday, August 27th in the St. Thomas-St. John district and in St. Croix on Friday August 28. Deployment of the FADs benefits the USVI by shifting fishing pressure from heavily fished inshore areas to offshore areas with more abundant populations of pelagic sportfish species such as tuna, dolphin, and wahoo, said D.P.N.R. The FAD program will also provide enhanced and improved fishing opportunities to recreational anglers in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FADs were constructed with federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sportfish Restoration program funding and generously deployed by Limetree Bay Terminals, LLC, staged by Virgin Islands Port Authority, and transported by Franklin Benjamin. FAD T7 was deployed north of St. Thomas, approximately 15 miles north of Cricket Rock. FAD T8 was deployed north of St. Thomas, approximately 1...