The Tribune

By Annelia Nixon

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association’s (BFFIA) president yesterday asserted that a conservation fund established by law was never truly implemented as he slammed the Government’s “lip service” in protecting and preserving the sector for Bahamians.

Prescott Smith told Tribune Business that the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) (Flats Fishing) regulations 2017 created a conservation fund that was to be funded by flats fishing licence fees and used for the management and protection of the flats and other fisheries resources. 

“The conservation fund that was passed was never actually implemented,” he said. “And it needs to be implemented so that resources go directly back into the industry to strengthen and further build capacity in the industry for education, and for conservation and education. That’s very critical.

“It was never established even though it was passed by law. It says 50 percent of the funds from the fishing licence fee should go into a conservation fund…  It was never implemented. And it needs to be implemented.”

Mr Smith also reiterated his call for the Government to declare the industry reserved exclusively for Bahamian participation. “Another thing is the Government cannot be shy about declaring this industry to be developed for and by Bahamians,” he added.

“And the reason I'm very adamant about this is from a conservation standpoint, because you cannot expect Bahamians to protect something if you're not prepared to give them full ownership in it, so then they protect it for themselves and their children, future generations. So it doesn't mean that you can't have partnership externally with persons in the industry, but the industry should be developed by Bahamians.

“Most of The Bahamas’ resources and its wealth is in 85 percent of the country, which is the marine environment. So advocating for Bahamian ownership to develop this industry, it doesn't mean that you are excluding foreign partnerships in terms of how the industry is connected to the companies that own the rods, the reels. They're still benefiting. But if they come in here and build all the lodges and bring in foreign guys, then what are you going to say? What are the roles for Bahamians to play? And so that's the issue.”

Mr Smith pointed to the minister of foreign affairs, Fred Mitchell, who spoke out when the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was in opposition. Mr Mitchell, in a video posted years, back stated that if voted in, the PLP would reinstate legislation that protected the flat fishing industry.

“This is what he [Mr Mitchell] said in Opposition,” Mr Smith said. “He said this government, and he was speaking to the FNM administration, saying that they caved to foreign interests, and that they feel that the industry should be reserved for Bahamians. So he said that while he's in Opposition, but he has said nothing about it while he now is the minister and the [party] chairman.” Mr Mitchell declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business.

Mr Smith also said exemption is needed for certified guides to expand the industry, create additional revenue for The Bahamas and generate a higher level of service when it comes to the standard of equipment and safety for the guides and anglers.

“When I state certified guides, it means then that all guides will be forced to become compliant, because they know that in order to benefit if I want to bring in a new truck or a jeep or this or that, I need to be certified,” he added. “That, within itself, means that National Insurance, captain's licence, boat registration, all of these things. It also means additional revenue for the Government. But you're talking about expanding the fishery. It means more foreign exchange coming into the economy.”

Mr Smith also called for more regulation for conservation purposes “because there are some islands that cannot afford to have people just walking out on the flats and fishing”.

“If a bonefish five pounds, it’s going to take six to seven years to get that size. So if you got a school of 100 bonefish, and let's say you have two anglers come through catching 20 bonefish at that school, half of them get eaten by sharks, then the next angler come and does the same thing. You could destroy that whole fishery in in a couple months or a month just by doing that,” Mr Smith argued.

“Also, there are certain flats that you should not be walking on. Some of them have coral on the bottom. And so professional guides know that there are some areas where you pull a boat, some areas where you walk. 

“And then even, safety of the angler as far as sharks,” Mr Smith said. “So sometimes you have sharks come on the flat a certain size at a low tide. But you could have a 10, 15-foot shark come on the same flats on a rising tide.

“And if an angler out there who don't even know because they come from England, Germany, they're so excited. And you can have people getting killed here on these flats because they're out there, waist deep in water, landing a bonefish, bleeding. And once the shark come in, that's it. Then your country ends up with a bad reputation.”

Mr Smith said regulation and proper zoning can help avoid overfishing, noting that islands such as Acklins, Eleuthera, Exuma and Long Island “are being hammered.” 

“It's a growing issue throughout the country,” Mr Smith said. “And then many anglers are not even buying a fishing licence. And then you have, in violation of the legislation, you have foreign guides coming in and running fishing operations in The Bahamas from Inagua to Mayaguana to Acklins, fishing on the west coast of Andros. These are the issues that we're currently facing.

“You need to have zoning where people can go and do it yourself, but the fishing licence fees for persons to do-it-yourself should be increased dramatically. And a proper zoning is required from a conservation standpoint because it's not fair for guides who have anglers who are paying with a guide,” he added.

“They go to fish in a particular area and then you meet eight and ten do-it -yourself anglers on those same flats. I mean, how does it look to the angler who's paying a guide at the end of the day? So you're impacting the overall industry. That angler is saying, ‘Why the hell do I need to pay a guide when you get people just walking all over the very flats that they come to fish on?”

Mr Smith also reiterated that the warden programme needs to be expanded to include the flats.