Carlos Farchette is thankful that his life’s interest was able to match up to his career.
Ever since he was a boy he was interested in fishing. His dad used to take him out fishing often. So, it was perfect that he was able to land a career in marine law enforcement in the Department of Planning and Natural Resources on St. Croix. For nearly three decades he worked in fisheries working closely with commercial and recreational fishermen.
He continues to work with fishermen even in his retirement. He is serving as a member of the 2012 Caribbean Fisheries Management Council.
Farchette, former Director of the Division of Environmental Enforcement, was recently reappointed for a second term, to fill the only obligatory seat for the U. S. Virgin Islands on the CFMC. According to a press release from Commissioner Alicia V. Barnes of DPNR, “He has worked tirelessly in supporting our Virgin Island fishermen by ensuring fairness and sustainability in the management process which ultimately preserves our culture and heritage for future generations of U.S. Virgin Islanders.”
The CFMC was established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to prepare management plans for commercial marine fish stocks in the U.S. Caribbean. Each council member represents different groups involved in the fisheries management process. There are representatives for commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, law enforcement, and scientists.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration works with the council as fisheries management plans are developed, then reviews, approves, and aids in implementing the fishery management plans for the U.S. Caribbean.
Farchette says he started at DPNR in 1980 and in those early years had the pleasure and opportunity to work with Otto Tranberg, a retired director of enforcement. Tranberg started turtle watches at Sandy
Point National Wildlife Refuge.
“I learned a lot from Otto” Farchette says. “He mentored me. I lucked out when I got to do security force for the turtle watches.”
He did shore patrols, enforcement for 11 divisions, and provided backup to police. He said turtle egg poaching, littering and sand theft were big problems at one time. Now it is drugs and illegal aliens. He says the fishermen are cooperating and realize everything they enforce is to protect the future of the fisheries.
“They know not to take everything now,” Farchette says.
During his time in enforcement he continued to take classes and workshops and got certifications to do search and rescue, hazmat responding, homeland security, and more.
“I figured the more I learned the better I would be at my job,” he says. “I really loved my job and I loved the field work.”
Farchette was born in Puerto Rico in 1956 to Ana and John Farchette II. They moved to St. Croix when he was a baby. He grew up in Estate Work and Rest and went to parochial schools and graduated from St. Dunstan in 1974. He is married to Nora Santana and they have four children.
He retired in 2008 and says he is very fortunate to have been able to retire at such a young age.
“Why not retire young?” Farchette says. He enjoys gardening and still loves to go out fishing.
He enjoys travel too and is looking forward to going to Panama and Colombia, South America for National CFMC meetings. He says there will be 20 countries working on the protection of spawning areas.
