In an interview this morning regarding the new “Flats Regs,” a Bahamian Government official gave us a clear picture of what to expect in the near future.
Background briefly: The original proposed draft was a Draconian document that smelled badly of populism, scam and anti-foreigner.
The proposed regs have been taken down from the Bahamian website, as announced they would be, following a very short and heated response period. Was it provocative and unwise to put up such preposterous proposals?
Here’s the ‘Skinny’:
“The elements of the draft that qualify as you say are ‘Draconian’ will not be in the clean bill coming from the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers. Here’s what will happen.”
The paraphrasing that follows are either answers to questions or volunteered comments
“There will be a program that qualifies both guides and lodges as having met standards not yet defined. To be a guide, a formal training program will be established and qualifying guides will be assessed a fee.
A lodge, foreign owned (principally) or 100% Bahamian owned, will be treated as a hotel and be required to meet ‘hotel’ standards and be assessed.
There will not be a non-Bahamian guided Mothership venture in Bahamian waters.
You will be able to own and use your own boat.
To fish Bahamian waters you will be required to buy a fishing license. Its calendar and costs not yet established (1 day, 3 day, week or season; $10, 20, $50, etc…).
DIY on the Bahamas flats. Not a thing of the past. BTT image.
The DIY license will be purchasable online.
It is not yet clear if lodge stay guests have to buy a beforehand license or if that license will be buried in the lodge guest fee.
There will be a fine for non-licensed fishing, but who marshalls that is unclear.
Last Monday, the 13th of July, 2015 a stakeholder meeting was held. All the comments made at that meeting, plus the letters sent regarding the proposed “Flats Law” are now in the hands of the Attorney General (AG) for redraft. That redrafted document will be called a “Clean Bill.”
The redraft by the AG then goes to the Prime Minister and all the other cabinet ministers. They, collectively, OK the “Clean Bill” as is, or redraft a new “Clean Bill,” which then goes to the Bahamian Parliament where it gets debated, tweaked and then passes / fails.
That new parliament “Clean Bill” then goes to the Bahamian Senate where the same process of debate and pass/fail takes place. The new bill, passed, then becomes law.”
Fifty percent of all license fees would go directly to the conservation of habitat, habitat improvement, conservation studies and cooperatives studies with other concerned stakeholders.”
Have been closely following this. What I haven’t seen is whether this legislation is directed at: bonefishing in general, fly fishing for bonefish, all flyfishing, or all fishing no matter what the equipment and for what purpose (catch and release or dinner for the evening). My sense is that is intended only for bonefishing. But… What’s your sense of how narrow or broad these regulations may be?
Where did this information come from?
Does not matter now, but he was spot on.