To diversify the economy of Anguilla and to enhance the resilience of indigenous Anguillians: Sports fishing and Deep sea fishing will be developed, marketed, licensed, and promoted by Indigenous Anguillians to ensure that a sustainable dynamic economic future can be maintained by all. Anguilla has over 212 nautical miles of Sea resources to the North, 75 miles miles to the West and the East, and 5.5 miles to the South. This vast natural resource can be utilized efficiently to develop the human resource potential, the economic base by diversification and by welding synergistic-ally conservation, sports, technology, cruise and eco-tourism of Anguilla.
Deep sea fishing is a form of angling that requires deep waters and usually takes place further away from land. The water depth should be at least 30 meters to be considered deep sea fishing territory. This fishing method is also often called offshore boat fishing, sport fishing, and big game fishing. The goal is to create a new niche of fishing that can also be used , as a marketing tool to diversify the Anguilla Tourism market, in addition to creating a new business model that does not compete with the traditional fishermen, but rather to create an entirely new economic model that can create jobs in the scientific, technical, food processing, marketing, sports tourism, charter, and day cruising industries, enhancing the Upmarket Tourism model.
Anguilla has an estimated population of 13,534 (est. December 2011). It is a middle income island with a gross domestic product (GDP) of about US$ 319.75 million in 2015. It has the second smallest economy in the OECS, and is part of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. The economy depends heavily on tourism, offshore banking, fishing, construction and remittances from emigrants. Tourism, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, is the main contributor to economic growth and is also the main source of employment. The fisheries sector is also an important contributor to livelihoods and the economy. It is valued at US$ 9.4 million, contributing about 2.26% of Anguilla’s GDP in 2014.
Traditionally local fishermen fish out to 40 miles, and with this proposal the waters that are greater than 40 miles from the shore will be used for Sports Fishing and other forms of Deep Sea Fishing, possibly including trawlers, long line, and other methods. The licensing regime and the operation of deep sea fishing boats will be conducted by Indigenous Anguillians who have parental heritage traced to 1967 and earlier. Conservation will form an integral part of the Anguilla Deep Sea Fishing and Sports Fishing Economic Zone proposal. The Deep Sea Fishing sector can be segregated out from Sports Fishing where catch and release programs involving large fish such as Maui Maui, Tuna, Blue Marlin will be encouraged. Safety will be of paramount importance with life vests, GPS, VMS, AIS, cell phones, life rafts, emergency telecoms, flare guns will all be mandatory for safe operating in both the Deep Sea and Sports Fishing sectors.
