News from The Bahamas

Since 2003 the Bahamas Sportfishing Conservation Association (BSCA) has been striving to protect and manage the numerous flats fisheries around all of the Bahamian islands. There has also been a tremendous amount of work done by BSCA to train and educate fishing guides about conservation, the environment and how to protect all of the sportfish. This organization is solely about ensuring the longevity of what many of us anglers visit the Bahamas for – bonefish. Check out their site for more information and ways you can help out: www.bahamasconservation.org

See Prescott Smith, President of BSCA talk about conservation efforts in the Bahamas here.

In recent Governmental Affairs

FIELD REPORT From the Desk of the Executive Director Bahamas Sportfishing &Conservation Association (BSCA) Tuesday, 11th March 2008 Meeting With Ambassador for the Environment, & Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Ronald Thompson
On Monday, 10th March 2008 the BSCA President, Prescott Smith and Executive Director Troi A. Ferguson met with Dr. Ronald Thompson, Ambassador for the Environment and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister to discussed those areas addressed in the BSCA's letter submitted for and on behalf of flyfishermen in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The areas discussed included the following:

1. Research practices / Knowledge drain
2. Lack of training for Bahamians
3. Lack of legislative recognition
4. Poaching
5. Unfaircompetition
6. Lack of Government respect and response
7. Unethical practices by Government officials
8. Disregard for Bahamian small businesses, such as flyfishermen
9. Inability of The Bahamas to keep pace with market trends
10. Limited Government resources

It was agreed that the BSCA would submit for Government's consideration points, opportunities and remedies in the following areas:

1. Research practices
2. Poaching
3. Unfaircompetition
4. Flyfishing as small business
5. Keeping pace with market trends
6. Alternatives to limited Government resources
It was also agreed that the BSCA would provide the following documents for Government's consideration:
• Draft legislation for the flyfishing industry
• Updated copy (copyrighted) of the BSCA training manual for flyfishing
• Draft copy of standards (copyrighted) in flyfishing that would be incorporated in flyfishing law/regulations