The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources yesterday awarded $150,000 to the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA) to help with the training of local guides and conservation efforts.

Prescott Smith, the Association’s president, said the funds will go towards strengthening flat fishing guide training in partnership with the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC) plus conservation efforts.

He added that this is the first donation from the Government to the industry, and the investment will not only build the tourism sector but strengthen related education efforts “As we protect this industry for Bahamians, we are strengthening BAMSI, we are strengthening the University of the Bahamas, we are re-educating the entire nation that we are not just sun, sand and sea,” said Mr Smith.

“I am grateful that we have gotten to this point as a nation that the Government can step forward and say we recognise the importance of this industry and you are putting your money where your mouth is.”

Mr Smith said the Association recently partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to have fly fishing guides attend international shows, plus market local fishing lodges and drive more visitor traffic to the destination.

“We lobbied the Ministry of Tourism, and they hired for the first time in our country’s history, a fly fishing guide and they are now attending fly fishing shows in different parts of the United States. We now actually have guides, Bahamian guides, going to those shows from different parts of The Bahamas to get the marketing, to bring new business to the lodges owned by Bahamians in the country,” said Mr Smith.

He added that investing in the flats fishing industry will benefit all Bahamians and is hopeful more persons will enter the industry as it grows over time.

“At the end of the day, you are making an investment in an industry. Whether you are a nurse or a teacher, we must educate the country that while Saudi Arabia might have its oil, South Africa might have its diamonds, our oil and diamonds are in the largest flats fishery on the planet. This resource belongs to every Bahamian,” said Mr Smith.

“I want to see more Bahamian guides. We continue to invest in them and protect this industry for Bahamians because it’s bigger than a lodge and a guide. If you don’t do that, it means future generations to invest in all of the sectors that are connected to this industry will be taken away.”

Mr Smith also called out foreign-owned vacation rentals that double as “illegal” fly fishing lodges, although the industry is reserved exclusively for Bahamians. He added that while attending an industry event in New York it was disclosed that more than 3,000 rental homes in Exuma were also offering fly fishing activities.

“We have foreign lodges coming into an industry that really is reserved for Bahamians, and they have been doing it under the guise of tourism; like a resort,” Mr Smith said. “There are several foreign lodges operating in The Bahamas already that are travel agents.

“They own a travel agency, and they have chains of lodges in other parts of the world, so there’s no need for them to support the Bahamians in the industry. And this is why we have been a big advocate for protecting this industry for Bahamians.

“There’s so many illegal operations taking place in our country where foreigners own hundreds of homes renting and operating as illegal lodges. When we went to New York, they had 3,000-plus homes in Exuma that are operating like this, and these are not Bahamian-owned homes. So, they come in and say, we want to build a home, and then they’re running a business out of it.”