Changes in a Small Scale Artisanal Fishery Demographic Structure in the US Virgin Islands as Consequences of Management Measures Implemented in the Past Decade

A census of the commercial fishers was conducted from July 2003 and again from July 2010 to better understand an important island livelihood and assist with effective fisheries management to ensure livelihoods for future generations of fishers while sustaining a diverse and productive tropical marine environment. The comparison of the census was used to assess the changes caused by management initiatives. About 22.5% fewer fishers fished for shorter periods than in 2003 and the mean age of fishers had increased to about 53 years. They were more experienced in 2010 having fished over 24 years. The low number of new fishers can be attributed to a moratorium on issuance of new licenses since 2001. Another regulation banning the use of trammel nets and limiting the use of gill nets was implemented in 2008 because of concern expressed by St. Croix fishers of the impact of net fishing in conjunction with scuba on parrotfish populations. In spite of the extensive management efforts undertaken by federal and territorial agencies in the past decade, <10% of the fishers believed that fishing has improved. Fishers who considered fishing to be worse now than a decade ago, overwhelming gave overfishing fish as the prime reason.