The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Please publish this letter to:

The Rt Hon Perry  Gladstone Christie, Prime Minister & Minister of Finance;

The Hon Alfred  Gray,

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government;

The Hon Obediah H Wilchcombe,

Minister of Tourism.

I am an Italian citizen and a passionate fly fisherman. I am really worried of the situation I will face arriving in Exuma for my hard earned holidays with my spouse on July 4, 2015.

I think the proposed regulations are a misguided money-grab by a few Bahamians.

I think if these regulations are adopted it would be a very bad move for the Bahamian economy, especially with the possibilities of increased competition for flats fishing anglers from Cuba on the horizon.

I’m all for Bahamian guides for Bahamian waters. That seems to make sense and is generally the way it goes from what I understand, with a few exceptions.

Permanent residents, folks who live there all year, they would be eligible to guide, from what I understand. That makes sense to me as well. But by attacking foreign owned lodges the proposed regulations go from “let’s get a handle on things” to “let me figure out how to reduce competition so I can make more money”.

Also us “do it yourself” fly fishermen will surely meet hard difficulties with the proposed new rules.

So the DIY angler will need a daily permit to fish.

Island administrators issuing permits? Forget it!  In a  current regime of “Bahama time”, try finding the one who will issue a permit at the time you need it will be impossible!

Fly fishing brings big money to the economy of the Bahamas every single year. It seems, with these regulations, someone wants more of that pie. It is a short-sighted path to destruction.

The foreign-owned lodges buy a lot of goods. They employ a lot of people. They contribute a lot to their local economies. Take them out of the picture and sure, some lodge may get a few dozen more bookings a year, but the net impact will be negative. It will mean fewer visitors, fewer anglers and less income for Bahamians.

And let’s talk about what these proposed regulations will not do. They will not “ensure that the marine environments upon which the fishery is based, are protected”.

I’d think if they wanted to preserve the flats it would be more about limiting development in critical places, especially around nursery areas and those places bonefish aggregate before spawning. You might throw in rod/angler/boat limits for certain sectors as well, if you want to reduce pressure, and there certainly are some places that need a bit less pressure.

One other aspect of the proposed regulations I don’t much care for is the vagueness surrounding exactly why an angler or guide could be turned down for a permit to fish or guide. It seems very subjective and in a place as small as the Bahamas, I would worry the authority to deny someone the ability to fish or to make a living could be abused.

This might not lead to high levels of corruption, but this is a strong eventuality.

Decide for the best and consult all the parts involved prior to making a bad move.

Scientist, guides, lodge owners, visiting fishermen and local people all can participate to prepare a better set of rules than those actually in examination.

Sincerely worried:

ALDO ORLANDO

Physical Education

Teacher & Fly Fisherman.

Via Verne 8,

15067 NOVI LIGURE (Italy).

June 23, 2015.