The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

A letter to Minister of Agriculture,and Marine Resources, V Alfred Gray:

I am writing to give you my view on the recently enacted fisheries resource regulation, Jurisdiction and Conservation (Flats Fishing) Regulations, 2017.

First, let me congratulate you on taking steps to insure the future of the flats fisheries of The Bahamas. Licensing fishing is a long overdue Act needed to fund law enforcement, education and research of the fishery.

I don’t know of a country that doesn’t require a fishing licence, and I have fished in a lot of countries. This is a good thing.

I listened to the arguments by the guide associations and the individual guides prior to the passing of this regulation. I also wrote in hopes of being heard. I wrote because I wanted to show our respect and value to the Bahamians and their fisheries and to secure my own enjoyment of the fiats fishing here.

We have been mislabelled as a “mother ship” that only takes and never gives to the fishery and people of the Bahamas. Let me convince you of our worth.

I captain a motor yacht owned by an avid flats fisherman who has fished the flats for decades. We fish on average 70 days a year on Bahamian flats. We hire Bahamian guides whenever possible. We fish with guides in Andros, like Andy Smith, Marvin Miller, “Shine” Greene, and Crooked Island’s Jeffery Moss and “Shakey”, Elton McKinney, The Berry Islands, Ramone and David Lightbourne, Percy Darville, The Abacos, Colin Hield, “Bonefish” Town and others that have long retired, Grand Bahamas with the Pinders going back to David Pinder and his sons William and David Jr.

As you can see we contribute a lot to the local guides. You have, by passing this regulation, taken away their clients. Seventy paying days gone, and that’s if we only hire one guide a day. Many days we hire two or three because of the number of guests we carry, guests that would never have bought a licence if they were not with us. We have no desire to fish out of lodges or nearby hotels.

We also contribute to the Bahamian economy in other ways. On an average year, over the last 13 years, we purchase 7,500 gallons of fuel per year, 150 days dockage, 30 meals at area restaurants, 50 trips in local taxis, $1,200 in local marine supply and hardware stores, $3,000 per month in local grocery stores, not to mention purchases in local galleries, straw market, fresh conch, fish and lobster from local fishermen.

Make no mistake: we fish the reefs and offshore waters as well and consume our harvest with gusto. But we, occasionally, buy from local fishermen as well.

That is a conservative estimate of our economic impact. But we contribute more than that in humanitarian value. We have sponsored local children’s causes, we have given to hurricane ravaged victims, we have helped local guides obtain boats and machinery for their businesses. We have given sports equipment to schools as well.

I cannot speak for other large yachts that carry skiffs and fish the way we do, but because I know most of the captains on those vessels I can safely say they, too, use guides and give generously and respect the fishery; with very few exceptions.

I have 31 years fishing these waters, I have never seen a “mother ship” flats fishing anywhere in the Bahamas that was here illegally, as argued by some of the lodges and guides, and I have anchored and fished in every group of islands of The Bahamas. The law you have requiring all vessels to clear customs and obtain a Cruising Permit and Fishing Permit (Regulation 47(4)) is all you need to prosecute those that would fish in the manner mentioned by the lodges and guides.

It is hard for me to fathom how you can sell me a fishing licence and then tell me I can only fish alone or with a guide. Ref Reg 4 paragraph 4(a)(b).

Reg. 3 paragraph 2 forbids me from using my own boat. This is of great concern for me because of the safety of my boss and his guest. Whereas most of the boats used by local guides are of good quality, they don’t equip or can’t equip them for the handicapped.

We spend extraordinary money customising our skiffs. What possible good is this regulation? Surely any boat brought in for someone’s own use is good enough for that individual. If a guide is using one of our skiffs he is still making money. If I have paid for a genuine fishing licence, why does it matter where the boat is registered?

Fishing is a very social activity. We all like to fish with friends. Most often we like to do it on our own boats for a myriad of reasons.

I am a captain on a larger motor yacht equipped to fish remote areas of The Bahamas, Caribbean and Pacific waters. We have customised our yacht and two skiffs specifically for the shallow flats of the Bahamas. Our skiffs incorporate special safety devices to help older anglers succeed in their quest for bonefish and other flats species, devices Bahamian vessels don’t have and would not be cost effective to install.

But I also am a fishermen, guide and friend to many Bahamians. I get a vicarious pleasure “guiding” other anglers. I have poled from the platform of many skiffs seeking bonefish, tarpon and permit for anglers that cruise with us. Your regulation has taken away that form of fishing from me.

How is any of Regulation 2017, other than the issuance of a fishing licence, going to help the guides, lodges and the flats fishery of The Bahamas? Those anglers that don’t have a boat in The Bahamas will use the local lodges and guides regardless of any provision of the regulation.

Those anglers who wade on their own are not affected one way or the other. What if, I want to fish with one of my crew members? We can’t afford to hire a guide. The only people it affects are the lawfully visiting boats that want nothing more than to fish for a quarry that is a catch and release fishery.

I fully support a fishing licence. It is a great way to fund needed enforcement, research and education. The Bahamas has needed this for a long time. But please reconsider the ramifications of the rest of the regulation.

CAPTAIN MATTHEW BRITTAIN ROBINSON

Hubert, North Carolina

January 24, 2017