V.I. Code tit. 25, § 402 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 25 - Navigation|Chapter 16 - Mooring and Anchoring of Vessels and Houseboats|§ 402. Definitions

 (a) The term “Ad-Hoc Community Committee” means a group of persons chosen by the Commissioner from the areas affected to serve as a liaison between the community and the Department. (b) The term “anchoring” means the temporary securing of a vessel to the bottom of a water body solely by the resistance of an anchor or anchors which are dropped from the vessel, and which are carried aboard as regular equipment when underway. (c) The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, his designee, or any person authorized to act as Commissioner. (d) The term “Department” means the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. (e) The term “derelict vessel” or “derelict houseboat” means a vessel or houseboat that has been abandoned, forsaken, or disabled beyond repair. (f) The term “houseboat” means any type of watercraft used as a floating abode that fails to meet the definition of a vessel as defined in this section or that is used solely for a permanent or temporary abode and not for transportation and navigational purposes. The term does not include boats, yachts, or sailing crafts with hulls designed, built and used primarily for transportation and navigational purposes. (g) The term “long-term anchoring” means any anchoring for more than 14 days within a 6-month period in any one location. (h) The term “mooring” means the place where a buoyant vessel or houseboat is seasonally attached, fixed or fastened to a mooring buoy or other similar device which is not carried aboard a vessel as regular equipment when underway. (i) The term “multi-vessel status” means the use of one mooring for the purpose of shifting vessels on the assigned mooring or the use of more than one mooring. (j) The term “owner” means any person who can show by approved documentation that he possesses some legal interest in a vessel or houseboat. (k) The term “resident agent” means a person residing in the Virgin Islands and authorized by the owner of a vessel to complete mooring application procedures for the owner and one on whom service of process may be made or one authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process. (l) The term “short-term anchoring” means any anchoring for less than 14 days within a 6-month period in any one location. (m) The term “tender” means a secondary vessel attached to or accompanying the moored vessel which is used for the transporting of persons and supplies to and from shore or to another vessel. (n) The term “unseaworthy vessel” or “unseaworthy houseboat” means a vessel or a houseboat itself or its appliances or appurtenances that are not safe or adequate for the purposes for which they are intended or ordinarily used. (o) The term “vessel” means every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance, not more than 150 feet in length, used or capable of being used as means of transportation on water. (p) The term “water use plan” means a comprehensive policy guide calculated to protect, preserve, develop and regulate the use of territorial water, including but not limited to the designation of areas of particular concern, areas for navigation, safe swimming, anchoring, or mooring of vessels.