Change of Fishing regs?

[FinalPoint]

Hurry, sign it, hurry! I am planning on going over at the end of the month. I normally can't catch anything anyway, but just in case I do find a nice grouper I would like to be able to keep it.

[RiskTaker]

Originally Posted by islandshark633

its all typed up but not signed yet so no release of info......

The prime minister just bought a new Kristal (dont ask how I know....) and you can be sure he does not want to stop fishing at 19.9lbs of snappers.

Hey IslandShark, how did you know that he got a Kristal reel and what model? Did you take him to your favorite spots on your boat? Oh never mind, you said don't ask.

I thought that those tourist rules do not apply to Bahamians. Oh, and they don't. So he can keep a grouper that goes over 21 lbs., 2 or 3 of them even.

Now what about us nice tourists that are Bahamian friendly? We want to catch some more fish too.

I still think it is a shame that we can no longer catch any more conch, maybe just 2 per person would be a nice tourist friendly gesture. Afterall, if you truly want to protect the Conch fishery, you have to shut down or reduce the Bahamian export and local restaurant consumption. If everybody does it, I would not mind switching to a diet rich in Dolphin fritters. Prepared a bit on the spicy side and they are delicious. But I still love my cracked conch, conch fritters, conch salad, conch ceviche, scorched conch, conch in spagetti sauce, conch chowder, curried conch and conch sashimi.

We are anxious to see the revised rules but we are trying to patiently wait on Island Time.

[islandshark633]

the PM likes to take foreign digitaries etc fishing so when there is a foreigner on the boat you revert to the non Bahamaian regs, just like the charters are supposed to do. So 20# limit in effect.

As for conch, why go through all that effort to break them out and worse, skin them without skinning yourself in the process. You can buy all you want already skinned from the locals.

Soon as I hear the new rules I'll start a new thread.

[RiskTaker]

Originally Posted by islandshark633

As for conch, why go through all that effort to break them out and worse, skin them without skinning yourself in the process. You can buy all you want already skinned from the locals

I like to extract conch once in a while, because I can. And sometimes we are not in town to pick up a dozen or so. But that is usually one of the first items on my list to get done. Or crawfish or Stone Crab.

Yummy, I am getting hungry. And still have a package of vacuum packed conch in the freezer. I think this weekend it is time to whip up something tasty.

Scorched conch on the grill with a touch of curry, yeah yeah thats it.

[Disco Lady]

Coño!!!!!! Conch on the grill sweet........

[wahoomon]

I always buy, it's easier and love supporting the local fisherman.. But I hear you can't have them on your vessel due to the regs?????

[islandshark633]

when You buy them locally get a receipt.

[RiskTaker]

Yeah Mon,

In the name of conservation to protect an endangered species, tourists are no longer allowed to harvest conch. But if you buy them locally, and get a receipt, stapled to your clear plastic bag or grocery sack that they may come in, you should have no problem Mon. I would call this a gray zone because the wording of the regulation restricts the tourists from capturing them.

But be advised, when travelling across Florida waters (by boat), you should not have any in possession. Another nebulous zone that most choose to keep out of mind. But it has to do mainly with the No possession rule of Queen Conch on Florida waters.

By air, I believe that you can depart the Bahamas with 10 lbs. per person, a combination of crawfish and conch for entry in the the U.S., 6 pelagics and 20 lbs. demersal fish, etc.

Of course, if you are a legitimate wholesaler, then you are exempt of those restrictions, although bound by some other set of rules.

For me, I will curtail my purchase of Bahamian caught conch when the Bahamians stop exporting conch and/or uniformly restrict the harvesting of conch. Of course, that is what must be done if the conch is indeed endangered in the Bahamas. Otherwise, the tourist restriction is just a bunch of B.S. for the "conservation" of conch.

When I start to see uniform regulations and uniform enforcement of regulations in the Bahamas that is when I know the Bahamian government means business about the Conservation of "x".

Hmmm, I wonder how the revised regulations are coming these days. Only 139 days until Christmas.....

The Nassau Guardian - www.thenassauguardian.com

P.S. - Former Minister Leslie Miller is rationalizing his actions with flawed reasoning. He needs to protect the Bahamas fisheries from Bahamians (not regular tourists). Obviously there are also tourists that grossly exceed the present as well as the former regulations. A bit of enforcement or bag checks is the key to remedy that situation. I wonder why nobody wants to put that into print in the Nassau Guardian, hmmmm?

[wahoomon]

I like the article, hopefully It's signed soon.. We are ready to go..
Missed the great Mutton trip in May, Missed July Grouper in Foxtown (and Judy's cooking ). Hopefully Bimini in September and the Winter Wahoo troll.. Come on Baby sign it..

[wahoomon]

Does anyone know if the PM reviewed the fishing regs on Friday??

Labor day is around the corner.. I want to salvage 1 trip this year...

[islandshark633]

I'll check again on Monday, havent heard anything yet

[Warrior]

Lots of BS coming from the Abaco's. A good friend of mine got harassed last week by unmarked bahamian police. The captian got thrown in jail. The owner bailed him out and brought all the boats home. Don't know the whole story yet, but I heard something about 20 lobsters they bought and had in the fridge. The unmarked part of the story doesn't sit well with me.

[RiskTaker]

Originally Posted by Warrior

Lots of BS coming from the Abaco's. A good friend of mine got harassed last week by unmarked bahamian police. The captian got thrown in jail. The owner bailed him out and brought all the boats home. Don't know the whole story yet, but I heard something about 20 lobsters they bought and had in the fridge. The unmarked part of the story doesn't sit well with me.

Obviously, there do exist unmarked police officers, but out on the ocean you would certainly be inclined to believe that any law enforcement need to be uniformed and in officially marked vessels. I can only imagine what type of escalation could arise from unmarked officers in unmarked vessels, telling another boat to prepare to be boarded, with definitive identification, from a distance.

On a positive note, I am encouraged that the Bahamians are at least doing a bit more checking than in the past. Unfortunately to say that they have not relaxed the restrictions yet to something more reasonable.

I'm glad your friend and company packed it up and headed home. Why spent more tourist dollars to perpetuate a bad time.

On this stories, I hope the Minister puts in some language to clarify these exact situations. 1 - It is generally implied that us tourists are harvesting these restricted species while visiting. 2- So, it should include provisions such that if you purchase restricted species from the local market, or local Bahamian, that you are exempted to some threshold limit, if you have a receipt or proof, etc. 3 - Or if this is not intended either, then to state it in writing, that no purchased items of restricted harvesting limits are permitted on baord, even if purchased. This makes the point crystal clear and you are not left to make interpretations, such as "purchasing is allowed but get a receipt" , etc. and so on.

The vaguaries in the law will only get people more annoyed. If it was only 20 crawfish on board or very similar for anything else, and the cruising permit was still noted as more days of travel in the Bahamas, I would think that some discretion was in order here. But by strict interpretation, it is only 6 crawfish and 0 conch for now, until we see something in writing soon.

I sure hope that the committee that is drafting the new legislation is reading some of the tourist's concerns as they are being posted on these fishing forums. That way there may be some engagement with the parties concerned and the balance of proper fisheries management. (But for the moment the fisheries management portion of it is a farce because there are some gaping loop holes to actually achieve effective fisheries management.

Warrior, please keep us posted on any more details that you may get: like the amount of fines, do they always throw tourists in jail for this type of infraction, etc.

[Gaitor]

In the meantime .... while they sort all this out .... I will keep my boat and my money on the west side of the Gulfstream.

[On Island Time]

Island Shark...Got back from Treasure the end of July. As you said...bought conch (cleaned and bagged-in front of me) by one of the locals for $1.50 each. Cant beat that. Customs in Spanish was Great (As always...love that gal). She handed us an updated reg but advised us to be smart about the groupers. A lil lenancy was given...just dont be blatant. Fuel was a $5.15 a gallon. Got to Treasure and checked in. Spoke with the fisheries guy and he basically said the same. Good guy when we spoke. Consumed my weight in Kaliks and fished alot. Not alot of fish out there when we were there. A group of 21 boats went over and really only successful on the deep drop. A lot of Queens and Silks, a few YFT, a few AJ's, a Marlin and 1 good size Black Grouper. Really disappointing for 21 boats. Anyhow had a great time at Nippers as always. The regs were the same when we were there so we will see in a coupe of months. Tight lines to you all.

[islandshark633]

O I T, good report, glad to see no hassle from the authorities. Too bad about the slow bite, not much around Nassau right now, just deep dropping and YFT at the AUTEC buoy. I have been too bussy building rods lately, havent even been out at all.

Deep Drop tournament Sept 1 in Nassau, full written exemption from regs for this one.

[wahoomon]

Another Holiday weekend arriving... Another holiday weekend I should be in the islands..Another holiday weekend I am not going. I guess I'll fight the crowds in the keys.. Fish hard and drink heavy..

[tales]

Anything new on these regulations yet?

[wahoomon]

Just got back from Bimini (yes I broke down and went ), they are handing out the same old regulations, and said nothing different to us when we checked in. The Dock Master at Seacrest said it was changed back..?? We bought 8 dozen conch (got receipt) and cleaned our fish everyday.. I guess we will go again in November to see some old friend named Wahoo..

[islandshark633]

last I heard it was still pending, I believe the customs/immigration guys are so tired of being lambasted they are just handing out the 2006 regs and telling people to have a nice trip.