Conch Prohibition

[Gemini Dreams]

The Bahamas have restricted the harvesting of Conch.

"The Government, in an effort to ensure the continued sustainability of local conch stocks, has decided to prohibit the harvesting of the species by foreign boaters."
For more information, contact:

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

Anyone have any better/more recent information?

If it was already posted somewhere else it didn't show up on the quick search.
w


FULL from the outislands web page

Fishing Regulations for The Bahamas

• 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;
• 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.
• 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 spearfishing 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.
• Spearfishing 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 a non-Bahamian to use any type of fishing net, except a cast net.
• It is illegal for a non-Bahamian to use fish traps or to sell marine products of any type.
• Nothing may be taken from Bahamas National Underwater Parks.
• 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;
• 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;
• Any migratory fishery resource that is caught shall not in total consist of more than six (6) Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna or Wahoo per vessel and any resource not intended to be used shall not be injured unnecessarily but be returned to the sea alive;
• No vessel shall have on board any conch, turtle or more than twenty pounds of any demersal fishery resources (groupers, snappers, etc.) per vessel at any time and excluding not more than six crawfish per vessel.
• No vessel shall have on board any fish unless its head and tail is intact.
• The general public is advised that the Queen Conch (conch) is considered to be an endangered species throughout much of its range within the wider Caribbean area, including The Bahamas. The Government, in an effort to ensure the continued sustainability of local conch stocks, has decided to prohibit the harvesting of the species by foreign boaters.

[Group9]

I don't blame them for being worried about the declining conch population. It's amazing how much harder it is to find conch and lobsters in the Bahamas than it was the first time I was there, back in 1987 and now.

[defever]

While I understand the conch population is endangered, it is not the cruisers who are decimating the population; it is the bahamisn fishermen who routinely scoop them up by the hundreds and bring them to market..I don't know how many times I've seen them come into nassau harbor, dump hundreds of them into their kraals and head out for more.. a good way to limit their catch would be for the U.S. to ban or srverely limit the import of conch..by doing this the take would go way down and the population would quickly replentish itself..

I know this would upset the bahamian fishermen and the U.S. fish markets but by not doing this their product will be gone entirely and they'll be in the same situation, I.e. no conch to sell at all..

[pete33458]

Originally Posted by defever

While I understand the conch population is endangered, it is not the cruisers who are decimating the population; it is the bahamisn fishermen who routinely scoop them up by the hundreds and bring them to market..I don't know how many times I've seen them come into nassau harbor, dump hundreds of them into their kraals and head out for more.. a good way to limit their catch would be for the U.S. to ban or srverely limit the import of conch..by doing this the take would go way down and the population would quickly replentish itself..

I know this would upset the bahamian fishermen and the U.S. fish markets but by not doing this their product will be gone entirely and they'll be in the same situation, I.e. no conch to sell at all..

Amen. When you dive to the bottom for a conch, what you're likely to find is an empty shell. Don't know how they have survived this long. I have stopped eating them (and many other depleted sea creatures), despite my immediate parasympathetic response (salivation) to even the thought of having some cracked conch... I know my boycott will make ZERO practical difference, but it's better than nothing. pete

[MarkJ]

Conch eat algae that suffocates coral... so more conch is vital.

It sickens me the piles of conch shells near many tourist resturants and beachs.

They have raped their own environment to stuff the bellies of people who wouldnt know the difference.

If you want to look at the devestation cause go to Georgetown and look at the algae infested blue hole lagoons on Stocking Island.

Its only when the locals stop fishing it will there be a difference.

[zboss]

I can't speak to the motivations of this ruling but I am disappointed because we are just now planning our Bahamas adventure (we have never been there) and were looking forward to getting our own conch. Taking of conch yourself, preparing it, and eating what you kill a sailing ritual analogous to a coming-of-age ritual. To have that ritual ripped away before having attained it is a real bummer.

With that said... humans are basically eating our way through the world and its only going to get worse and I am guilty as the rest when it comes to gluttony.

[clifford sloan]

There is a real problem that we will all suffer the consequences. How many remember the Disney venture on Guana Cay when they dug the channel for the big red boat? The natives raised a ruckus because they completely destroyed the baby conch beds, but nobody really did anything about it. There aren't enough enforcement crews to force the issue and if there were surely they would be reluctant to bring charges against any relatives for failing to comply.
All the best,
Clif

[scoobert]

wow, no coch, and a $400 cruise fee... i think i will bypass this country....

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by zboss

Taking of conch yourself, preparing it, and eating what you kill a sailing ritual analogous to a coming-of-age ritual. To have that ritual ripped away before having attained it is a real bummer.

That gives me something to look for during my second circumnavigation. Because on my first I never saw any ritual killers....



Mark

[Piglet]

LOL at "6 crawfish per person". Being from Louisiana, that made me chuckle.

[FLLCatsailor]

In sure it will be enforced...

[Dulcesuenos]

We found plenty of conch when we were there. We took only a few, the bahamian boats had dozens that we saw and many juvenile conch. If they outlawed it by locals and allowed foreigners the stocks would replenish.
Reminds me of jamaica, no fish to be found in their waters and they blame the lionfish. I think it was hungry jamaicans,

[cheoah]

Originally Posted by Piglet

LOL at "6 crawfish per person". Being from Louisiana, that made me chuckle.

That's what we call Caribbean spiny lobsta. much bigger than your crawfish...

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

We found plenty of conch when we were there. We took only a few, the bahamian boats had dozens that we saw and many juvenile conch. If they outlawed it by locals and allowed foreigners the stocks would replenish.
Reminds me of jamaica, no fish to be found in their waters and they blame the lionfish. I think it was hungry jamaicans,

I can remember when the Jamaicans would not eat anything that had a shell or exoskeliton(sp),we could get as many lobster ,crabs ,shrimp(fresh water prawns (pepper shrimp)) as you wanted,then they discovered that all the tourist wanted them so they depleated the resource..Most fish are now caught at sea(100 miles out in some places) with traps(or imported!),hard to find anything inside the reef, except maybe some small Barracuda,small tropical fish...

[tamicatana]

Originally Posted by cheoah

That's what we call Caribbean spiny lobsta. much bigger than your crawfish...

You haven't been to the Basin.