According to the Department of Statistics, fly fishing is the largest economic generator in the Family Islands.
“Nothing comes close, $400 million a year… It’s four, five times the commercial fishing industry,” said Joel Moxey, sustainable tourism consultant with the Ministry of Tourism, during the recently held Andros Business Outlook.
He noted that flights to distant Family Islands like Acklins and Crooked Island are booked solid due to the amount of fly fishermen that travel to these islands regularly.
“The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2016 commissioned a study, and at that time it realized that recreational fishing in The Bahamas was producing five times the amount of commercial fishing. And this is resilient, because recreational fishing is catch and release, and commercial fishing is take and you hope the environment regenerates itself.
“Since 2016 it is conservatively estimated, as I said, that $400 million is coming to the Bahamian economy annually. Flats fishing is more than an ecology treasure. It supports a high-value tourism industry and thousands of livelihoods. And when visitors come to fish the flats, they are investing in our environment and our economy.”
The Bahamas is a premier global destination for sight-fishing, offering miles of pristine flats teeming with world-class bonefish, permit, and tarpon. Anglers can choose between do-it-yourself wading, or booking all-inclusive, multi-day excursions. Tourists can explore the vast flats from Grand Bahama to the remote Out Islands.
Andros is widely known as the bonefishing capital of the World. It features an endless network of tidal creeks and the remote West Side National Park, where trophy-sized fish are common.
Some of the challenges to the flats fishing industry are the ineffective management of resources, and the uncontrolled proliferation of fishing lodges, Moxey explained.
“Many islands don’t have a certified train guide. Bimini used to be the mecca of fishing, but only has one fly fishing guide at the moment, but we’re working on it,” said Moxey.
“There are illegal fishing operations throughout The Bahamas on many islands. Financing and credit terms are important if you’re going to start a business, and it’s crucial for the fly fishing industry as well.
“The guides have been asking for lodges, and for the same concessions that taxi drivers have, because taxi drivers get a concession for a new vehicle under certain arrangements. We believe the lodges should be entitled to that, those that move boats and equipment.”
