Feb. 20, 2003 – The issues surrounding the Coral Reef National Monument relate to self-determination, St. Thomas resident Gaylord Sprauve said at a meeting Thursday night called by Delegate Donna M. Christensen to update fishermen on the implications of the new federal designation.
About 25 people, many of them fishermen, attended the meeting at Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John to discuss the national monument, which was created by former President Bill Clinton during his waning days in office.
Sprauve said the United Nations should take up the matter.
He had particularly harsh words for the delegate. "You're in bed with them," Sprauve told her, referring to the National Park Service, which has jurisdiction over the 12,708-acre monument as well as the V.I. National Park.
Christensen scrambled to distance herself from the park. "I'm here as an advocate on your behalf," she said, adding that she had worked hard to stop Clinton's designating the monument right up until the night before the proclamation went through.
Earlier in the meeting, she said it would be up to residents to mount a legal challenge against the federal government to take back the waters included in the monument. She said such an effort could include convincing the local government, an agency such as Legal Services, or an attorney willing to take the case without pay to pursue the matter.
Christensen pointed out that in the face of the V.I. government's contention that the designated waters in fact belong to the territory, the federal General Accounting Office rendered an opinion that the federal government does own the submerged lands.
A 1,100-acre strip on the south side of St. John and an 83.8-acre piece on the north side do belong to the local government, and Christensen said it will be up to the Planning and Natural Resources Department to manage those areas.
While all of the comment was from fishermen or other residents adamantly opposed the monument, park Superintendent John King pointed out that the purpose of the monument is to protect the fish. He said this would improve fish stocks in the wider area. "It's been adequately proven in other areas," he said.
King said the interim rules and regulations now making their way through the bureaucratic pipeline call for no anchoring in the monument. Fishing, with two exceptions, also is not allowed. Bait fishing will be allowed by permit only in Hurricane Hole, and fishing for hard nose, also called blue fish, will be allowed by permit on the south side of St. John.
St. Thomas resident Harry Clinton complained that there is no "wiggle room" for traditional uses in the monument waters. Sprauve followed that up by charging that the park has changed the rules since its inception in 1956 to prevent traditional uses. King responded that people are still allowed to fish with traps in national park waters but will not be allowed to do so in the monument waters.
Sprauve also alleged that the park is killing hogs, goats, sheep and donkeys. "What's going on here?" he asked.
King didn't respond to Sprauve's charges. However, the park has made numerous announcements about its program to rid the park of non-native species, which include hogs, goats and sheep. It has not yet taken up the donkey issue.
In the context of the national park occupying two-thirds of the island of St. John, resident Lorelei Monsanto said residents have no place to bury their dead or educate their children.
Christensen said a plan to exchange land owned by the local government with park land is under discussion, with an area in Catherineberg being considered.
Christensen held a similar meeting on St. Croix on Wednesday evening. After several people complained Thursday that she held the meeting on St. John for both St. Thomas and St. John residents, she said she would schedule a third one for St. Thomas residents on their own island, tentatively on March 17. Specific information will be announced.

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