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Brett Querrard (left), a local USVI commercial fisher, receiving his safety kit as part of the CARES Act Fisheries Financial Assistance Program 2.0
In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Boating Access Program, a sub-program of the Sport Fish Restoration Grant, Boating Access Small Grants provides funding for up to three (3) projects of up to $10,000 per project within a fiscal year to develop, renovate, maintain, acquire, or improve facilities geared at increasing or improving public access for recreational boaters throughout the Territory.
Appropriate projects include but are not limited to: a reimbursement for materials and supplies related to the construction or repairs of public docks, ramps, piers, bulkheads, parking lots, or moorings; installation of fish cleaning tables; maintenance, nuisance or hazard mitigation; installation of first aid stations, telephones, Wi-Fi, restrooms, or vessel pump-out stations at recreational boating access sites, or for recreational boaters.
Any member of the public who is interested in aiding in the maintenance or construction of a facility. As well as publicly or privately owned marina facility that is open to the public or project proposal.
Please click on the image to the left to view the guidelines for submitting a proposal for a Boating Access Small Grant. Proposals can be submitted to alfonso.garcia@dpnr.vi.gov or DFWElectronic@usvi.onmicrosoft.com
Boating Infrastructure Grants will provide funding for construction and renovations of boating infrastructure projects and tie-up facilities for transient recreational vessels of 26 feet or longer and traveling to a single facility for either day use or staying for up to 15 days. BIG funds are funded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and applied for by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife (DPNR-DFW). There are two types of Boating Infrastructure Grants (BIG), Tier I and Tier II.
Proposals for Tier I funding must meet the eligible actions requirements of 50 CFR Subpart B (86.10 – 86.19). DPNR-DFW may select more than one Tier I eligible project, as long as the total sum of all projects does not exceed the total of that year’s funding cycle allotment.
Proposals for Tier II are nationally competitive in nature. Proposed projects must meet the eligible actions requirements of 50 CFR Subpart B (86.10 – 86.19). Each project shall compete nationally against every other project submitted in Tier II.
Provides funding to facilities for construction, renovation, operations, and maintenance of pump-out and dump stations that are open and available to be used by the public during reasonable time of day.
Any public or private marina which allows public access to facilities.
Are you an artist? Are you interested in art? DFW has rolling grant opportunities to fund the creation of murals throughout the Territory that align with our mandate to protect, conserve, and restore the natural resources of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Check this website regularly and/or the DPNR Facebook page for updates on new and exciting grant opportunities!
Heidi Herzog Gonzales, of Swashbucklin Art, received an art grant to create a mural of invasive species. Photo Credit: Heidi Herzog Gonzales
DFW awarded the St. Croix Educational Complex High School by providing funds for a Marine Biology Program. Funding for this program allowed students to master the skills of swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling with the aim to prepare them for tertiary education in marine biology.
Please watch this video made by the marine biology students at the St. Croix Educational Complex High School.
DFW has awarded 60 tuition scholarships to students across the Virgin Islands to participate in the Youth Ocean Explorers (YOE) Summer Program through the University of the Virgin Islands since 2022. The YOE program is a hands-on marine science program for middle and high school aged students. Participants learn about a wide variety of marine based topics such as animal identification or marine ecology. Students also have the opportunity to become SCUBA certified through the YOE Program.
To learn more about this program, please visit the Youth Ocean Explorers website.
As part of DFW’s mission to encourage all people within the Virgin Islands to enjoy and appreciate all of our wonderful natural resources, DFW provides 200 free vouchers each year for a 3-hour adventure of kayaking, hiking and snorkeling in the St. Thomas with Virgin Islands EcoTours.
To learn more about how to participate in this program, please stop by our office at Tropical Marine or call us at 340-775-6762.
Kayakers in Mangrove Lagoon, St. Thomas. Photo Credit: VI EcoTours
In 2020, 10.7 million dollars were made available to USVI commercial fishers, their helpers, charters, and fishing-dependent businesses through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in partnership with DPNR. This funding is intended to rebuild the fishing community to pre-2017 storm health and viability.
Additionally, this funding was used to provide fishers with boat safety equipment, remove derelict fishing equipment from USVI waters, and advance the research and development of artificial reefs.
DFW disbursed $141,000 for direct relief to the fishing industry in partnership with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) in 2023.
The U.S. Virgin Islands was granted $3.96 million in Coronavirus aid, relief, and Economic Security (CARES) to be rewarded directly to fishery-related industry members such as commercial fishers, wholesale dealers, aquaculture operators, and charter/for-hire fishing operators affected by the pandemic. Safety kits were distributed to fishery-related industry members in May of 2024.
Please visit USVI Cares Act – Fisheries Financial Assistance Program to learn more.