First Bahamian Bust with New Regs

[broadminded]

Well it finally happened.I dont have anything too specific yet but i spoke with a reliable person. The Bahamian govt got their first bust.
2 guys fishing off Great Issacs got caught with 40 yellowtail. The guys were out of Ft. Lauterdale fishing a 27 Contender. Gone! they seized the boat.

[quack quack]

give more details when you can.

[B767]

Cancellations are at an all time high. By this time last two years, there were not many places to rent in the BERRIES, EXUMAS (Staniel Cay). Look now, there s PLENTY available....... Oh well!!!!!!!!

[The BEAST]

That's one helluva fine ($125k boat) for catching over the limit. That is rediculous and borders on governmental piracy.

I personally know someone here (US, Keys) who just got a ticket for having undersized Muttons when he mistook the fish for Lane Snapper. The difference is subtle in the juvenile stage of the Mutton.

His fine was $300, not his boat!

Capt. Jim
The BEAST

[CaptKen]

Sad
And the battle wagons go un touched, I know of a wahoo tounment last month on Cat Island where 1 battle wagon brought in over 1000 lbs of wahoo right in front of some pretty high up the food chain Bahamian officials and nothin was said.

[freezorburn]

F'em, Damn Bahamian officials. I'll fish in the international waters off there cost and spend my money here in the USA.

Damn Bahamian goverment is so stupid and lazy it will take them years to figure out there losing money. There all gon'na go back in there offices smoke weed and come up with a plan B.

Lets see if they would be stupid enough to try and go after the Cuban fishing boats again.

[cogzwell]

did you get any additional information on the guys that got busted? I am wondering if they checked in and cleared customs or if they ran over to pillage and make a day out of it.

If it is the latter, they should take the boat. Makes it very hard for the rest of us "straight up" guys.

[DonK]

At the last S.O.B. meeting, with our guest speaker Mike Genoun of Florida SportFishing magazine, We got into an involved discussion about the Bahamian Fishing Regs.

Generally, the gist of the rumors/facts/conjecture are:

1) the Minister of of Agriculture can change the law with a signature, but will not, especially since elections/appointments are coming up. And what else may be in HIS interests?

2) The Bahamas are posturing themselves for the ~ billions ~ of dollars in development that is in the works...they want the bahamas fishing to remain attractive to investors

3) If you buy property there, you can be considered 'resident' and become exempt from the reduced bag limits.

4) the overall scheme is to eliminate the "petty" visitors and the supporting (mom & pop) local business, to pave the way for the 'big money' development. These concerns amount to nada compared to the international investment capital.

5) it is not a question of preserving the resources. Dominican and Cuban boats illegally and regularly fish the territorial waters of the bahamas. (could the sum total of all the small boats from florida even compare to the 35k tons of fish per boat being taken by other foriegn operations?). It is not an even playing field. The early comment about the tuna and wahoo tourny's states that! Big money means special condsideration.

Personally, I am no longer inclined to make the run over there. I'll fish the Keys or elsewhere. I don't have to spend twice as much on gas, expensive shi**y accomodations, etc....or extortion by "officials" when trying to get repair parts shipped in (had to pay $300 for "import fees" for a carbuerator flown in on Chalks)
The only justification I ever had before was the fishing (and the ) But I can fish/drink just as easily and cheaper here or in C.A.

[quack quack]

Just like I said when this all started.

[Attaboy]

The territorial waters extend out to 12 miles. The baseline is 3 miles.

Does anybody know what kind of depths off the west coast of the Bahamas at 12 miles (international waters)?

Also, are they busting fishermen between 3-12 miles?

[B767]

Originally Posted by Attaboy

The territorial waters extend out to 12 miles. The baseline is 3 miles.

Does anybody know what kind of depths off the west coast of the Bahamas at 12 miles (international waters)?

Also, are they busting fishermen between 3-12 miles?

12 Miles due west of Bimini you are looking at between 400 and 450 Fat (+/- 2400 to 2700 feet)....

[RiskTaker]

Originally Posted by DonK

At the last S.O.B. meeting, with our guest speaker Mike Genoun of Florida SportFishing magazine, We got into an involved discussion about the Bahamian Fishing Regs.

Generally, the gist of the rumors/facts/conjecture are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

DonK:

From some of the recent inquiries and communications that have crossed my path, I am inclined to second just about all of the items you have stated in your prior post.

Additionally, it seems likely the state of the conch is indeed in need of some (uniform) conservation measures, whereas pelagics are generally not pressured by the Bahamians, at large. Additionally, there should not be very much concern for the demersal fish, situated at 100FSW and deeper. But the easy pickins where the locals are concerned seem to be the greatest bone of contention.

All in the name of conservation, is total B.S.

In my opinion, we need to petition Hubert Ingram, to make sense of more realist regulations, and to take a favourable position within the FNM people. Then with any luck, should he successfully become the next Prime Minister: Forthcoming changes, after the elections, will have been more thoroughly thought through, and very possibly modified with a touch of Rational Exuberance.

Just doing something to say you are doing something, is doing nothing in my book. Doing something for a real need, is where we should be focusing our attention.

I would really hope that if the Conch condition is in dire straits, we should substantially lower the harvesting for food, across the board. In the meantime, during the recovery, the state of Florida should (offer to) purchase live conch from local fishermen, at no more than the $1 each, to keep them gainfully active w.r.t catching conch. That live stock should be transplanted onto Florida turtle grass beds, where the waters are presently in a total moratorium for conch, and the levels of enforcement would provide a reasonble level of protection for a revived conch fishery, or at least a viable stock pile.

[DonK]

Originally Posted by RiskTaker

DonK:

From some of the recent inquiries and communications that have crossed my path, I am inclined to second just about all of the items you have stated in your prior post.

Additionally, it seems likely the state of the conch is indeed in need of some (uniform) conservation measures, whereas pelagics are generally not pressured by the Bahamians, at large. Additionally, there should not be very much concern for the demersal fish, situated at 100FSW and deeper. But the easy pickins where the locals are concerned seem to be the greatest bone of contention.

All in the name of conservation, is total B.S.

In my opinion, we need to petition Hubert Ingram, to make sense of more realist regulations, and to take a favourable position within the FNM people. Then with any luck, should he successfully become the next Prime Minister: Forthcoming changes, after the elections, will have been more thoroughly thought through, and very possibly modified with a touch of Rational Exuberance.

Just doing something to say you are doing something, is doing nothing in my book. Doing something for a real need, is where we should be focusing our attention.

I would really hope that if the Conch condition is in dire straits, we should substantially lower the harvesting for food, across the board. In the meantime, during the recovery, the state of Florida should (offer to) purchase live conch from local fishermen, at no more than the $1 each, to keep them gainfully active w.r.t catching conch. That live stock should be transplanted onto Florida turtle grass beds, where the waters are presently in a total moratorium for conch, and the levels of enforcement would provide a reasonble level of protection for a revived conch fishery, or at least a viable stock pile.

I'm with you on the conch thing! I wonder why it hasn't happened already? Someone out there is probably concerned that the Bahmian Conch is an exotic species! But that could justify a multi billon dollar removal/native restoraation program in a few years!

Thanks for the reply!

[freezorburn]

Originally Posted by DonK

3) If you buy property there, you can be considered 'resident' and become exempt from the reduced bag limits.

OK,

Start a Fishing Club, We all put a $1,000 in and Buy a place there. We get all our names in on the deed and we're good! We will also have the club house in Bimini! Just remember to keep it clean!! damn it!!

Imajine that!!! Start the paper work anyone here a Real-estate Lawer?

[freezorburn]

Bump...

So, What Happend????

[CaptainEd]

You have the choice to spend your money here in the USA or
waste it in the Bahamas on over priced goods, services and rediculous fishing regs. I personally will spend none of my money fishing the Bahamas until they enact some reasonable fishing regs and start real enforccement of the true abusers. I wont recomend anyone go to fish there or run any charters there either. I've always followed the Bahama's fishing regs and I know from years of visiting there the old regs are NOT the reason they have damage to their fish/lobster populations if in fact they do have legitimate damage...