Bohamian Rhapsady

[Shufisher]

http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/saltwate ... amas-over/

[PatrickBateman]

Crazy I was just Writing a post to link to a similar article in the "Angling Report"

Sad Stuff Guides Harassing DIY Anglers. "Illegal" To fish in the Bahamas without a Guide? Pffffffff

I wonder how this would be applied to the Offshore fishermen coming over from FL? The short sightedness of this will only hurt their Fishing / Tourist Economy.

Here is a the Similar E Bulletin from The Angling Report. Also there is an Article outlining conflicts with anglers and local Guides in the current print Edition.

Below is an important E-Bulletin from Don Causey, the editor of The Angling Report. You are receiving this because you have a subscription with Online Extra access.

Proposed Bahamas Regulations Are Creating a Lot of Concern

The Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has just released draft regulations calling for some major changes in the way flats fishing is conducted in that island nation. The regulations call for the imposition of a $20 daily fishing fee on non-Bahamians, and they contain language that has some lodge owners worried about the prospect of a partial or full nationalization of their businesses. Additionally, the regulations contain language that may make it difficult or impossible for anglers to fish on their own in the Bahamas without a registered guide. You can read the proposed regulations at the address below:

http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/wps/wcm/conne ... OD=AJPERES

It is not clear at this writing what the timeline is for the imposition of these new regulations, but the ministry has placed a very tight deadline on when and how public comments can be made. Simply put, they have to be sent by e-mail to the Department of Marine Resources before June 26. The address to send your comment to is: fisheries@bahmamas.gov.bs. A national symposium on the new regulations has been scheduled in Nassau for June 29, three days after the comment period closes. It will be held in the conference room of the Agriculture Ministry from 10 AM to 1 PM.
It should be noted that some parts of the new regulations are not clear. Will they indeed cast doubt on the legality of fishing activities at foreign-owned lodges? Will they make it illegal for foreign-owned lodges to operate boats unless they re-title them as Bahamian-owned? Can lodge owners sensibly do that? Will lodge-based clients have to have a daily fishing permit? The cost for that would be $120 for a week. And consider the section of the regulations dealing with anglers who want to fish without a guide. In one place it says anglers can apply ahead of time, online, for daily fishing permits. Elsewhere in the regulations it appears that the authority to deny fishing permits will be vested in individuals, some of whom are opposed to on-your-own fishing-namely, guides and lodge owners. If the latter reflects the final outcome of the deliberations, it will probably end on-your-own fishing in the Bahamas by noncitizens. That will have a huge impact on family-run hotels, marinas, restaurants, and car rental agencies that have long catered to on-your-own anglers. It will even have a negative impact on independent guides who earn a goodly portion of their income from anglers who want to do a mixture of guided and unguided fishing.
An overarching concern about the regulations is their punitive tone. They suggest a negative attitude toward foreign investment in the tourist sector, and they are just not friendly and forgiving. If implemented as currently proposed, these regulations call for the imposition of a fine of up to $3,000, a prison term of up to three months, and confiscation of all fishing gear and related supplies of anyone who breaks any of the new rules. An offender might be a visitor from afar who simply didn't know he had to have a permit to walk the beach with a fly rod while his wife and kids enjoy other activities. For sure, the first time these kinds of sanctions are imposed the travel blogs and forums are going to light up. Millions of dollars of damage will be done to the tourism industry of the Bahamas.
What's really unfortunate here is the fact that the new regulations point in some very positive directions. Why not impose a fishing fee on visiting anglers, a larger one on unguided anglers, maybe, than on guided anglers? Why not register guides? And, most important of all, why not earmark the revenues from all this to conservation causes? I think most fair-minded anglers would support all those steps. Let's just hope these progressive steps are not overshadowed by some of the really mean and draconian measures envisioned by the individuals who wrote these draft regulations. Stay tuned for an update.-Don Causey.

[Bruiser]

Glad that came up here. I'm happy to pay $20/day if it goes to fishery protection and enhancement, but if I have to hire a guide I'll stop visiting the Bahamas.

My email to them got bounced. Probably operator error.

[root wad]

My email to them got bounced. Probably operator error.

Mine did also. Wonder if they got sick of hearing from us or is their "mailbox full"?

[dunk]

The e-mail in the article above is incorrect - Bahamas is spelled wrong...

fisheries@bahamas.gov.bs

[Willi]

I'm no lawyer, and I don't play one on TV, but my interpretation of the Bill is different than that on the Gink and Gasoline website.

First, the proposed fees are $20 a day (not $30) plus a $10 application fee. For example, 7 days of fishing would cost $150. I also don't see anywhere in the Bill that bans a DIY wading angler. It just requires that he pays the application fee and the $20 a day fee. The way the bill is worded, it does seem that you can't use a a vessel, other than a Bahamian owned and licensed charter vessel, without engaging a certified fishing guide for every 2 people.

The Bahamian Gov instituted a VAT year last that raises prices 10%. Now, with these extra "rod" fees, it does make the Bahamas a less attractive place for all anglers whether they go to a lodge or DIY.

There are pretty intensive discussions on these two sites:

http://abacoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12467

http://diybonefishing.com/2015/06/19/ne ... e-bahamas/

Willi

[Mad_Mike]

this is another of a long list of complicated, expensive rules and laws that the Bahamian government has imposed in the last 10 years or so... Having spent the better part of my life, 23 years or so, fishing and travelling to the Bahamas, as well as maintaining and owning property (houses, boats, cars, etc) in the Bahamas and having to jump through the hoops and fees associated with the above I have learned one thing...

It doesn't matter....

For a law to have any effect it must be enforced... And it won't be... There are no game wardens, or marine patrol on any of the islands.. at least the ones i've been to. Nobody checks your catch when you get to the dock unless you're at a marina or in a tournament...

And not one person has ever approached me on the flats.. nor is there anyone who would..

The only way these flats laws would be enforced would be if the lodges took it into their own hands to police the flats and report any DIY guys to the police on the mainland to track down... Not that I believe for a second the police would, that's too much like work.. But I guess a fat bribe here or there to the local constable by the local lodges may change that...

I can see them charging the fees... only because they can do that in customs when you land in country... easy enough, no extra people needed... but as for the other regulations regarding guides and what not... complete crap that even if passed would never be enforced...

Unless like I said, the lodges start policing on their own, which of course would be in their interest... and a which point the fishing community would have another target for their frustrations...

I'll be interested to see how this plays out... but I doubt i'll ever have issue with it... nor would you most likely..

Welcome to the Bahamas.... tons of laws... none actually enforced...

[stillsteamin]

I'm no lawyer, and I don't play one on TV, but my interpretation of the Bill is different than that on the Gink and Gasoline website.

First, the proposed fees are $20 a day (not $30) plus a $10 application fee. For example, 7 days of fishing would cost $150. I also don't see anywhere in the Bill that bans a DIY wading angler. It just requires that he pays the application fee and the $20 a day fee. The way the bill is worded, it does seem that you can't use a a vessel, other than a Bahamian owned and licensed charter vessel, without engaging a certified fishing guide for every 2 people.

If I'm reading the proposed regulations correctly, I think the issue is that the permits will be sold by guides or lodge owners, who have to be bahamian or full time residents, and they can refuse to sell you a permit in which case you can appeal to the government (ya right). The implication is that if you aren't hiring them or staying at their lodge then you won't be getting a permit. I'm all for paying to fish down there, and I can't believe its free right now. They just need to do it in a way that makes sense.

[PatrickBateman]

What I find crazy is the direct conflict in certain areas between the Guides and local communities against the DIY Anglers. Tire Slashing, Running boats on flats, and direct threats. The Print article in the angling report shines light on things from peoples real experiences.

Mike you are lucky your Digs are in a smaller more chilled out and awesome spot and the locals are super cool. I think these problems are in Andros and some of the bigger areas? Either way its a shame as that kind of behavior no matter the reason will hurt the Bahamas.

Just one instance of Threatening or actual Violence can have a huge impact. While Fishing off the coast of Tanzania the local fisherman would pass you and Make Throat Slashing movements. Needless to say I did not get in much fishing that week after that day.

[JRH]

Meh. My first reaction to this is not to panic on a fishing blog and proclaim the "sky is falling."

I think it's just poor drafting of the proposed legislation and a failure to communicate intentions and answer questions that arise. It is concerning that they only allowed two weeks notice for comments. In other words, government gonna government.

I have no problem paying for a fishing license (yeah, $20/day seems a little pricey...Florida charges $30 for a 7 day non-resident saltwater license). And most "foreign owned" lodges seem to have Bahamian citizen co-investors or managers who would meet the definition of "fishing lodge operator" and receive the certification. For example, Blackfly Lodge has a Bahamian "partner" (Clint Kemp).

It has always been the case that if you arrive to the Bahamas by private boat, you roll up to the immigration and customs guy in Bimini or West End or Grand Cay and you fill out some forms and pay the $150 for a "cruising and fishing permit" (for boats under 30') and then you go on your merry way and you're free to fish in Bahamian waters. I think/hope that's similar of what they're intending to do here, i.e. regulate and tax people that fly over and use the resource. I wish I could go to the meeting and ask myself. I hope someone does on "our" behalf.

Yes, I'm probably being naive. Panic all crazy on the Internets just isn't me.

I go 3-4 times/year to the Bahamas. This won't stop me from going.