A permit is required for foreign vessels to engage in sport-fishing.
Under
this permit the following 2003 rules apply (this is intended for
informational
purposes only and one should always check with local authorities when applying
for a permit):
(i) Fishing gear, unless otherwise authorized, shall be
restricted to hook
and line. The number of lines
in the water at any time, unless otherwise
authorized shall be restricted to six.
(ii) The bag limit for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo is a maximum
combined
total of six fish per person on the vessel,
comprising of any
combination of these species. All other
migratory fish caught, unless it
is to be used, should not be injured
unnecessarily but returned to the sea
alive.
(iii) Vessel bag limit for other fishery resources are 20lbs of scalefish,
10 conch and 6 crawfish per person at any
time. The possession of
turtle is prohibited. The above
amounts may also be exported by the
vessel upon leaving the Bahamas.
(iv) Such permits are not required by Bahamian owned vessels operated
by Bahamians, however the fishery
resource possession restrictions
stipulated in (ii) apply to Bahamian
vessels engaged in sport-fishing
by persons who are not Bahamians.
OTHER IMPORTANT FISHERY REGULATIONS
1. Spiney Lobster
(a) An annual closed
season from April 1 -July 31.
(b) A minimum
harvestable size limit of 3 1/4 inches carapace length
and 5 1/4 inches tail length.
(c) The
possession of "berried" female crawfish is prohibited.
Stripping or otherwise the eggs from "berried" female is
prohibited.
2. Conch
The harvesting and possession of conch,
the shell of which does not
possess a well formed lip, is
prohibited.
3. Scalefish
The catching of grouper and rockfish
weighing less than 3 pounds is
prohibited.
4. Stone Crab
(a) An annual closed
season from June 1 to October 15.
(b) A minimum
harvestable claw length of 4 inches.
5. Turtle
The possession of turtle is prohibeted.
6. Prohibitions
(a) Use of bleach or
other noxious or poisonous substances for
fishing is prohibited.
(b) Spearfishing
(underwater fishing):
(i) It is illegal to use Scuba or an air compressor system
(hookah) to capture any fish or marine product. (snorkeling
gear is permitted). It is also illegal to use any device
including a speargun other than a Hawaiian Sling for
spearfishing. A Hawaiian sling is a device used for the
discharge of a missile underwater by the sole force of a
rubber spring. (Note: Bahamians may obtain licenses for
the use of air compressors. The use of such equipment is
restricted to August 1 to March 31 and to a water depth of
in a range of 30 to 60 feet.
(ii) Spearfishing within one of the coast of New Providence, one
mile off the southern coast of Freeport, Grand Bahamas or
200 yards off the coast of all Family Islands is prohibited.
(c) Scalefish traps
are required to have a self-destruct panel and
minimum mesh size of 1 x 2 inches for rectangular wire mesh
traps and 1 1/2 inches (greatest length of mesh ) for hexagonal
wire mesh traps.
(d) The taking of coral is prohibited