Sustainable Plan Not Government-Only
Emery C. Pemberton told the Marine Industry Forum on August 19, 2026, that the National Sustainable Development Plan is a 15-year roadmap with six national goals and three-year action cycles, and is intended as a shared public‑private framework rather than a government-only document. He highlighted marine tourism as an overlap between marine and fisheries and tourism and hospitality, and stressed the need for data partnerships, local participation and ecosystem restoration.
The National Sustainable Development Plan is not a government-only document, Emery C. Pemberton told participants at the Marine Industry Forum on Tuesday, August 19, 2026. Pemberton said the ministry is now applying and integrating the plan, which he described as a 15-year roadmap framed around six national goals that transition into three-year implementation cycles. "It's not a government-only document… The plan explicitly states that public‑private collaboration for managing a marine space is not implied.
It's written so it's there in the plan," he said. Emphasising the scale of the Virgin Islands as an ocean state, Pemberton noted the territory has reef assets of more than 30,000 acres. He said marine tourism sits at the intersection of two sector strategies — marine and fisheries, and tourism and hospitality — making it an area of shared interest rather than a niche concern.
Key targets named in the plan include increasing partnerships to address coral bleaching alongside mangrove and salt‑pond restoration; encouraging conservation-minded investments and sustainable practices to support tourism while promoting local sourcing for employment; and strengthening coral protection.
Pemberton also highlighted the plan's call to boost local participation in the blue economy and marine tourism. "Also very important is data partnership. Not just because we want to regulate the industry, but because when we're formulating policies, if we do not have data, then it basically is not a reflection of the industry.
It's not precise," he said, stressing that reliable data are necessary to understand how policy changes affect the economy and local livelihoods. Pemberton added that the plan will run up to 2030 and that officials are "continually working within this range," signalling an ongoing process of implementation and review through the three-year cycles.
For residents and businesses in the BVI, the plan signals opportunities for greater involvement in marine management, tourism planning and restoration projects. Pemberton’s remarks point to an emphasis on public‑private collaboration, data sharing and local hiring as tools to protect marine ecosystems while supporting sustainable economic activity.
This reporting is based on coverage by Virgin Islands News Online.
Primary source: VINO