Monday, 19 April 2021 - 6:02pm
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Honourable Vincent Wheatley said the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) has had a devastating impact on the Territory’s reefs and has been found at 33 dive sites.
Honourable Wheatley said in a statement titled “Update on the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease” during the Seventh Sitting of the Third Session of the Fourth House of Assembly stated that the cost of doing nothing would be tremendous to the Territory’s natural environment and economy. He said the Coral Strike Team (CST) has been expanded since its creation to include Non-Governmental Organisations and a variety of diving companies to combat the disease.
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STATEMENT BY THE HONOURABLE VINCENT O. WHEATLEY
MINISTER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES, LABOUR & IMMIGRATION
Wednesday, 10 March, 2021
UPDATE ON THE STONY CORAL TISSUE LOSS DISEASE
Mister Speaker, thank you for allowing me to give an update on the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).
In a previous statement Mister Speaker I outlined that our coral reefs were being attacked by this disease, which if not controlled would be disastrous for our reefs which are critical for our environment. The reefs are homes to our sea life, they offer protection to our coast lines during hurricanes/high waves, they are a source of sand for our beaches, they are home to many of the Potfish that locals eat, and they are an important element of our tourism product.
Thursday, 14 January 2021 - 12:03pm
The Government of the Virgin Islands is working diligently on tackling the Stoney Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the Territory.
According to the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Honourable Vincent Wheatley, his ministry and the National Parks Trust (NPT) of the Virgin Islands are pleased to work closely with local dive operators and marine experts to tackle the coral disease.
Minister Wheatley explained that the Stoney Coral Tissue Loss Disease is a lethal coral disease that has the potential to kill half of the stony coral species in the British Virgin Islands.
Since its discovery in the Virgin Islands late 2019, the Government of the Virgin Islands through the ministry and the NPT has been leading the charge in treating the disease as part of a ‘Strike Team’. The ‘Strike Team’ was established by Honourable Wheatley to tackle what he terms “a coral crisis”. The team’s aim is to prevent the disease fr
National Parks Trust launches eco-atlas
As the culmination of a project that started in 2002, the National Parks Trust launched its first environmental atlas during a ceremony at Government House. âThis initiative will help us …
Governor Gus Jaspert shows off the new environmental atlas during a ceremony with National Parks Trust Director Dr. Cassander Titley-OâNeal (left) and Deputy Director Nancy Woodfield Pascoe. (Photo: FRANKLYN SKERRITT/GIS)
As the culmination of a project that started in 2002, the National Parks Trust launched its first environmental atlas during a ceremony at Government House.
âThis initiative will help us to preserve and manage designated natural areas and bring greater awareness of the Virgin Islandsâ natural landscape and biodiversity,â NPT Director Dr. Titley-OâNeal said during the ceremony.