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1 August 2000 The government has the responsibility to protect and manage the fishing resources for the benefit of the Bahamian people. The intent of the laws is to allow visitors to catch fish for their immediate enjoyment but not to compete with commercial Bahamian fishermen. The following guidelines apply mainly to visitors. Fishing from a boat owned by a non-Bahamian requires a fishing permit for the boat. This is usually purchased by cruising boats when clearing Customs on entering the Bahamas. The permit fee is $20 for one visit or $150 annually. The permit is valid for all people on board. Foreign owned boats, even if registered in the Bahamas, must obtain the sportfishing license before the occupants begin fishing. Locally, permits may be purchased in Cooper's Town and Marsh Harbour from the Fisheries Officers. Boats owned by Bahamians do not need a permit for recreational fishing. This includes 100% Bahamian-owned rental boats. Non-Bahamian fishermen in a boat are "restricted to hook and line" with a maximum limit of six lines in the water. Anyone may use an electric reel but only five hooks per line are allowed. Six or more hooks on a line is considered long-lining which is illegal. There are restricted areas where fishing is not allowed by any means by any person. The Pelican Cay Park and the Fowl Cay Preserve are two areas in central Abaco where this would apply. No marine resource may be taken from the park areas. Marine resources include everything in the water; fish, shells, rocks and seaweed. Since the marine parks do not have signs and fenceposts, it is wise to give them extra clearance so there is no question as to your location. The Fisheries officers strongly suggest that you do not combine a fishing trip with a visit to a park. If a Fisheries officer boards your boat in a park and finds fish on board, problems will ensue since you cannot prove where they were caught. Also, if you are out deep sea fishing and a Fisheries officer finds dive equipment on board as well as fish, problems may arise. Spear-fishing is not allowed by anyone in the coastal zone of Abaco defined as within two hundred yards from the coast of Abaco as measured at the low-water mark. This prohibited zone is the same for all Family Islands except Freeport which has a one mile exclusion zone. Recreational divers may not spear fish, or catch conch or crawfish while using an underwater air supply of any kind. Commercial Bahamian fishermen need a license to catch crawfish with a compressor but cannot use SCUBA gear. Licensed Bahamian fishermen may fish by free diving to any depth, but are restricted to the 30 to 60-foot zone when using compressed air and having a compressed air license and then only to catch crawfish during the season. All divers may spear fish while free diving but are not allowed to use power guns or trigger-operated guns of any kind. The most common spear used is the Hawaiian sling. Bang-sticks using shotgun shells for personal protection underwater are allowed but must have an annual firearm license from the Police and permission by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. The following bag limits for fish apply to all non-Bahamians, whether in a foreign boat or Bahamian boat regardless of the fishing method. A combined total of six fish per person per vessel for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. All other migratory fish caught, unless it is to be eaten, shall not be injured unnecessarily but returned to the sea alive. Vessel bag limits are 20 pounds of scalefish, 10 conch and six crawfish per person at any time. The possession of turtle by non-Bahamians is prohibited. Grouper and rockfish weighing less than three pounds may not be taken. The bag limits may be legally taken to Florida when the vessel leaves the Bahamas. Any fish within the bag limit can be given away to friends or others but visitors who sell or exchange their fish for accommodations or dockage are subject to prosecution. Note that the limits must match the number of people. For instance, four people can have 80 pounds of fish. If one person leaves, 20 pounds of fish should accompany him, leaving 60 pounds for the other three. This also applies to boats returning to Florida as the U. S. authorities respect these limits. Visitors with crawfish must ensure that they do not exceed the limit of six per person at any time. The limits are not accumulative for successive days or for people no longer in your group. Legal size for crawfish caught by anyone is a minimum tail length of five and one half inches (5") or a three and a quarter inch (3") carapace (shell) length. Egg bearing females must not be disturbed. The eggs are visible as a red mass (berries) under the tail. The closed season on crawfish is from April 1st to August 1st and applies to everyone. There are no limits to the amount of fish that can be legally purchased by visitors. However, amounts above the bag limits should be documented with receipts and invoices to clarify the origin of the fish. Bahamians may have any quantity of fish but must observe the minimum sizes. Any crawfish in freezers of Bahamians, second home owners or visitors on April 1st, the first day of the closed season, should be documented with a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. You may or may not be inspected by a Fisheries officer to verify the quantity. The bag limit applies to freezers ashore as well as boats. Remember that the amount of fish must match the number of people in the house for non-Bahamians. Only adult conch may be taken by Bahamians and visitors. The adult conch is identified by a wide and well flared lip on the shell. Juvenile conch have a thin lip which has not yet flared. Help keep conch plentiful in the Bahamas by leaving the juveniles. One other rule prohibits fish resources to be imported into the Bahamas without the Minister's permission. This is to avoid any misunderstanding as to whose fish are on board. If you have fish on your cruising boat when you enter the Bahamas, they are presumed to be Bahamian and must be within the bag limits. The Abaconian compiled this information from the two Fisheries officers assigned to Abaco, Mr. Carroll Laing in Cooper's Town and Mr. Wayne Cornish in Marsh Harbour. They may be contacted for further information. |
