by Rick Lowe
On January 6, 2017 the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) (Flats Fishing) Regulations, 2017 was said to have come into effect requiring a personal angler license (obtained in person or online) for anyone over 12 years of age to fish for permit, tarpon, snook, cobra or bonefish.
Where a boat has received a sports fishing permit, a certified Bahamian guide must be employed for every two anglers.
Regulations also include a description of flats as areas of water levels of one to six feet.
The regulations also provide for the establishment of a conservation fund and 50% of the licensing fees are to be deposited in the fund for conservation and management of the flats and its fisheries resources.
Penalties under the regulations range from $250 to $4,000 depending on the offence and license fees range from $5 to $60 depending on the term and if one is a permanent resident, citizen of visitor.
Visitor rates are more expensive than local fishermen.
Guide licenses cost $100 per annum.
Apparently the infrastructure to obtain a license online is still not in place causing confusion among fly fishing enthusiasts, both Bahamian and foreign visitors alike, so people are petitioning the Minister of Agriculture to suspend the regulations until a license can be purchased online and other amendments are made to the Act.
There are also complaints that it is difficult to obtain licenses manually with the process taking a couple days and persons are seeking clarity on where one can fish for other species if sand flats of one to six feet are included. In other words would fishing off beaches also require a permit?
In addition, it seems very curious that people under twelve are forbidden to fish?
The special interest group, in this case the fly fishing industry/association, some of whom have worked very hard to have the legislation established on their behalf, seem very angry that people in the boating industry are asking for the legislation to be suspended until one can obtain a license online and other questions are clarified.
It seems that in typical fashion legislation is passed in Parliament without proper consultation with great fanfare on how this will protect some group, in this case the flyfishing industry, without a thought about implementing it and making it function as intended.
Another sad commentary.
Find out more about The Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association here…
Download Flat Fishing Regulations_ and read them for yourself.
