On August 11, 2026, leaders and stakeholders of Dominica’s watersports sector gathered for a critical strategy meeting convened by the Dominica Watersports Association (DWA) to map out a path forward for the industry ahead of the upcoming 2026/2027 operating season and long-term development. The gathering centered on tackling the most pressing structural challenges facing local watersports businesses, while balancing the island nation’s core commitments to marine conservation.
Top of the meeting’s agenda was the widespread call for updated, more transparent regulatory frameworks that govern all watersports activities across Dominica’s coastal and marine areas. Attendees highlighted significant unaddressed gaps and ambiguities in current governance rules, most notably within the 2025 Sperm Whale Reserve Act, a landmark piece of legislation designed to protect one of the Caribbean’s most important sperm whale habitats. Beyond reserve management, participants also pushed for a standardized, streamlined, and fully documented licensing process for new watersports operators, arguing that a clear process would not only meet local economic development needs but also bring Dominica’s industry into alignment with globally accepted best practices for safety and sustainability.
In his opening remarks to attendees, DWA President William Lawrence—who also serves as manager of the popular local operation Fort Young Dive—touted the association’s decades of on-the-ground experience and deep cross-industry network as valuable assets to drive meaningful change. Lawrence stressed that collaborative effort across all involved parties is non-negotiable: stronger alignment and ongoing partnership between government regulatory agencies, local industry stakeholders, and regional conservation and trade partners will be required to build more transparent, efficient operating processes that work for both established businesses and new entrants to the sector.
A core priority for the association in the coming months will be expanding structured dialogue with regulators to resolve ambiguities around the implementation of the Sperm Whale Reserve management framework. While the DWA explicitly affirmed its full commitment to protecting Dominica’s unique and vulnerable marine ecosystem, association leaders note that watersports operators require clear, accessible guidance on regulatory boundaries, legal rights, operational responsibilities, and permitted activity protocols within the reserve boundaries to operate responsibly and avoid unintended violations.
Beyond regulatory reform, the DWA has also outlined plans to upgrade cross-sector communication, activity monitoring, and compliance systems. These upgrades are designed to achieve two interconnected goals: upholding the island’s conservation commitments and ensuring the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of Dominica’s $100+ million watersports sector, which is a core driver of tourism and local employment.
Shortly after the conclusion of the strategy meeting, DWA Secretary Shanese Daway—who represents IslandStyle Fishing, a leading local recreational fishing operation—confirmed that preliminary work on the association’s priority initiatives has already commenced. “The work has now begun,” Daway stated.
Looking ahead, the DWA has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to strengthening cross-sector partnerships, closing existing regulatory gaps, and nurturing a professional, globally competitive, and environmentally responsible watersports sector that will benefit local communities and visitors for generations. The association’s core mission, summed up in its guiding slogan, remains: Preserve. Protect. Promote.