Bahamas Fishing Regulations

Permits
Permits are obtained from Customs officials at ports of entry. Fishing gear is restricted to hook and line and you may not fish with more than six rods at a time.

Bag Limits

Lobster or Crawfish
Six tails per person, at any time. Annual closed season is April 1 to July 31. Minimum size limits are 3-3/8 inch carapace length or six inches tail length. Egg-bearing female crawfish are protected.

Conch
Harvesting and possession of conch without a well formed lip is prohibited. Bag limit at any time is 10 per person.

Wahoo/Dolphin/Kingfish
Six fish per person, any combination.

Vessel Bag Limit
20 pounds of scale fish, 10 conch and six crawfish per person may be exported from The Islands Of The Bahamas.

Stone Crabs
Closed season is June 1 to October 15. Minimum harvestable claw is four inches. Harvesting of females is prohibited.

Turtle
Illegal to import; although legal to eat in The Islands Of The Bahamas.

Spear fishing
Hawaiian sling is the only approved spear fishing device. Use of scuba gear or an air compressor to harvest fish, conch, crawfish and other marine animals is prohibited. Spear fishing is not allowed within one mile off the coast of New Providence, within one mile off the south coast of Freeport, Grand Bahama and within 200 yards of the coast of all Out Islands. Spearing or taking marine animals by any means is prohibited within national sea parks.

	All pleasure boats entering the Bahamas must purchase at their first Port of Entry a $150 cruising permit for boats up to 35 feet and $300 for boats over 35 feet The permits include a fishing license and departure tax for four people and are good for a year as long as the boat stays in the Bahamas. Boats that make repeated visits must purchase a permit each time.
	Non-Bahamians are restricted to hook and line fishing only, with a maximum of six lines in the water.
	Become familiar with bag limits: Vessels with a valid fishing permit are allowed 20 pounds of scale fish, 10 conch and six crawfish (in season) per person, at any time. A combined total of six fish per person per vessel of kingfish, dolphin and wahoo may be taken. All other migratory fish shall be returned to the sea alive unless it is to be used immediately. No grouper or rockfish weighing less than three pounds may be taken.
	NO spear fishing within 200 yards of any Island in the Bahamas.
	It is illegal to use any type of underwater air supply for spear fishing or collecting of any marine life. This includes SCUBA gear as well as air compressors.
	Spear fishing is restricted to free divers only and only with the use of a Hawaiian sling. It is illegal to take coral, tropical fish or sea fans.
	It is illegal for non-Bahamian to use any type of fishing net, EXCEPT a cast net.
	It is illegal for non-Bahamian to use fish traps or to sell marine products of any type.

Bahamas National Underwater Parks

Become familiar with their locations. Nothing may be taken from any Bahamas National Park at any time.

AMENDMENT OF THE SPORTFISHING REGULATIONS

Department of Marine Resources
Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources
P.O. Box N-3028
Nassau, The Bahamas
Email: fisheries@bahamas.gov.bs

The Department of Marine Resources wishes to advise the general public that several additional amendments to the Regulations governing sports fishing have been made. These changes came into force on 19th October, 2007. The amendments address regulations 46, 47, 48 and 70 of the Fisheries Regulation (Ch. 244 – Subsidiary Legislation of The Bahamas – 2000) and have the effect of curtailing the amount of marine resources which can legally be harvested by foreign boaters visiting The Islands Of The Bahamas.

Sport Fishing and Tournament Rules and Regulations for The Islands Of The Bahamas:

a) A person shall fish by the traditional method of angling with a hook or lure attached to a line held in the hand or attached to a pole, rod or reel.

b) A person, unless otherwise authorized by the respective permit, shall not use a spear, a fish trap, or a net other than a landing net.

c) Each vessel shall use not more than six (6) rods or reels unless the operator is in possession of a permit authorizing the use of more rods or reels.

d) Any person or organization wishing to organize or hold a sports fishing tournament in The Islands Of The Bahamas must apply for a permit. Application for a permit can be made by completing Form 17, paying the $500 fee and attaching to the application, the proposed rules for the tournament/sports fishing event.

e) Once the tournament/sports fishing event is approved, a permit (Form 18) will be issued outlining the terms and conditions of approval for the event. The required tournament decals for each participant in the tournament/sports fishing event will also be issued at this time. This decal is to be attached to the bottom of the copy of the sports fishing permit provided to each participant.

f) All foreign vessels engaged in a sports fishing event must be in possession of a valid permit.

g) Attempting to sell fishery products derived from sports fishing under the terms and conditions of the permit granted is illegal.

h) Any migratory fishery resource that is caught shall not in total exceed more than eighteen (18) Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna or Wahoo per vessel. Any resource not intended to be used shall not be injured unnecessarily but be returned to the sea alive.

i) Each vessel must adhere to the following catch limits: no turtle, a maximum of six (6) conch, ten (10) crawfish and a maximum of twenty (20) or sixty (60) pounds of any demersal fishery resources (groupers, snappers, etc.) per vessel at any time.

j) Any type of Billfish (such as Marlins, Sailfish or Swordfish, etc) must be returned to the sea unharmed except where landed under the terms of an approved sports fishing event or tournament.

k) A fishery inspector has the authority by law to enter and inspect any vessel that has engaged in sports fishing.

l) The limitations specified above also apply to a Bahamian vessel engaged in fishing for purposes other than commercial by persons who are not Bahamians. For the purposes of this regulation, residents will be treated the same as Bahamians.

m) Foreign vessels engaged in sports fishing in The Islands Of The Bahamas under a permit are able to, on leaving the country, export the amount of fishery products aboard that vessel in accordance with the catch limits outlined above.