Block I
00:00The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs on business licensing modernization, consumer protection enforcement, oversight and compliance mechanisms for licensed businesses, small business support, and operational challenges.
00:0002:15:17Block I pt2
02:15:17Department of Tourism providing an overview of 2024 tourism performance and its economic impact, including visitor arrivals, key performance indicators, and the status of cruise tourism by district.
Block II
04:36:35The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources on the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s programs and management strategies, including updates on environmental education outreach, territorial fisheries management and enforcement, wildlife conservation, territorial fishery policies, and the Invasive Species Eradication Community Program, and from the Caribbean Fishery Management Council on regional fisheries management and its impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands, including updates on island-based fishery management plans, collaboration with local fishers and government agencies, sustainable fisheries strategies, impacts of federal regulations, and available funding opportunities.
Block III
06:34:49The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture on the state of agriculture in the Virgin Islands, including updates on Act 8854 regarding agricultural maintenance and equipment purchases, the USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, the department’s equipment maintenance plan, pricing of goods and services, Act 8306 establishing the Virgin Islands Agricultural Caribbean Conference, and Act 8404 implementing the Territorial Agriculture Plan, and from the University of the Virgin Islands on the Territorial Agricultural Plan and the V.I. Agricultural Caribbean Conference, including status updates, stakeholder engagement, funding sources, expenditures, projected outcomes, challenges, and solutions, as well as conference objectives, planning milestones, participants, goals, and budget details.