Marine Brochure - FRIENDS of the Environment

Responsible Dolphin Watching
Contact Us:
It is illegal to capture or harass any marine
mammal in The Bahamas.
For more information about our moorings
system, fishing rules and regulations in
The Bahamas, or volunteer opportunities
for coastal clean-ups and coral reef
monitoring please contact FRIENDS or
visit our website at
www.friendsoftheenvironment.org.
The deep scars on the back of this Abaco
dolphin are from the blades of a boat
propeller. Please follow the guidelines below
to ensure that your dolphin-watching
experience is fun and safe for everyone.
Friends of the Environment
P.O. Box AB-20755
Marsh Harbour, Abaco
(242) 367-2721
info@friendsoftheenvironment.org
Help protect Abaco’s dolphins
and whales
Respect their space and try to stay at least
100 yards away
Drive boats and jet skis at slow speed near
dolphins and whales—idle or turn off your
engine if safely possible
Please report sightings to The
Bahamas Marine Mammal
Research Organisation
info@bahamaswhales.org,
(242) 366-4155
VHF ch65 “Dolphin
Research”
Please report stranded,
injured, or dead marine mammals to:
The Bahamas Marine Mammal
Stranding Network
1 (242) 544-5409
Sandy Cay Reef
Bahamas National Trust Parks
In Abaco, The Pelican Cays Land
and Sea Park, Black Sound Cay
National Reserve, Walker’s Cay
National Park, Fowl Cay National
Park, Tilloo Cay Reserve and the
Abaco National Park have been
set aside for your enjoyment.
Nothing may be taken from the land or sea in The
Bahamas National Trust Parks (including shells
and coral fragments). No fishing, spearing,
conching or shelling is allowed in these areas. You
will be fined and/or your fishing equipment and
vessel will be taken away.
Enjoy Abaco’s
Marine
Environment
Responsibly!
Bahamas fishing regulations
Help Protect
Our Reefs!
Fishing regulations are subject to change. For most up-to-date legislation and a complete
list of regulations, contact The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources,
or go to www.friendsoftheenvironment.org
FRIENDS has placed moorings at North Guana,
FowlUse
Cay, Mermaid
and Sandy with
Cay Reefs.
moorings
care:
x Only
small boats
(up tomoorings
25 feet)atshould
tie up
FRIENDS
has placed
North Guana,
Fowlmoorings.
Cay, Mermaid
andisSandy
Cay Reefs.
to these
There
a danger
of the
moorings breaking if larger boats tie up.
Only small boats (up to 25 feet) should tie up to
x If you can’t attach to a buoy then anchor in
these moorings. There is a danger of the
sand or grass away from the reef.
moorings breaking if larger boats tie up.
x Tie your bow line to the pick-up line of the
Ifmooring
you can’t
attach
buoy
then anchor
buoy
and to
letaout
enough
rope to ingive
sand
or
grass
away
from
the
reef.
a horizontal pulling on the mooring.
your bow
the pick-up for
lineyour
of the
x Tie
Ultimately,
youline
aretoresponsible
boat.
mooring
buoy
and
let
out
enough
rope
It is always a good idea to dive the mooringto
a horizontal
pulling on the mooring.
and give
assess
its condition.
Ultimately, you are responsible for your boat. It
is always a good idea to dive the mooring
and assess its condition.
Respect the Reefs:
Don’t touch, stand or walk on reefs. This is
harmful to their health.
Don’t pollute, but do pick up litter
Don’t discharge holding tanks or bilge water
within!"##"$%&'($)*'+!"#$%"&%'()*)+,#-+()**
3 miles of land. Pump out available in
Marsh
Harbour,
Boatour
Harbour
You can help
protect
reefs:& Treasure Cay.
Schneider:
367-2043,
577-6559
x Call
Don’tLouis
touch,
stand or walk
on reefs.
Touching
Don’t
takecorals
corals,
shells,
sea stars
fans
stresses
& the
bacteria,
oils or
andsea
sunDon’t
season
or under-size
screenbuy
on out
our ofhands
is harmful
to theirseafood
health
Support
restaurants
that
don’t
serve
x Don’t pollute, but do pick up litter crawfish
and
Nassau holding
groupertanks
out oforseason
x Don’t
discharge
bilge water
Report
dumping
or
other
illegal
activities
the
within 3 miles of land. Pump out available:toBoat
policeTreasure
(367-2560),
report
poaching
Harbour,
Cay,and
Conch
Inn,
dock to
the
Bahamas
National
Trust
Park
Warden
opposite Damianos Office MH. Call Louis
(367-6310).
Schneider:
367-2043, 577-6559
x Don’t take corals, shells, sea stars or sea fans
!"#"$"%&'(%#()*&+,*-."/(0)%&
The following regulations apply to citizens, residents and visitors of The Bahamas:
!"#$"%&'()&*+,-".%#',()'#*/0)1-'-.'1$,%&)2'!.('3.#-'*45-.56,-)'+)&"#+,-".%',%6','1.34+)-)'+"#-'.7'()&*+,-".%#8'1.%-,1-'9$)''
When fishing it is important to remember that:
:,$,3,#';)4,(-3)%-'.7'<,("%)'=)#.*(1)#8'.('&.'-.'>>>27(")%6#.7-$))%?"(.%3)%-2.(&''
It is illegal to fish or collect any marine resource while using SCUBA
Spear Guns and air compressors are prohibited (permits required for residents to use compressors)
*45$678879:;<$6:=4:;<$>5<?8@A:7;=$@BB8C$A7$D:=:A7>=E$>5=:F5;A=$@;F$G:A:H5;=$76$*45$I@4@J@=$
Spearfishing within 200 yards of any shoreline in the Family Islands is illegal (Abaco)
/-)+$012-1+3.$
SCALE FISH
x •No
spearfishing
within 200
of prohibited
any shoreline in
The
capture of bonefish
byyards
nets is
Family or
Islands
(Abaco)
Purchase
sale of
bonefish is also prohibited
•the
grouper
rockfish
should
caught
under three
x •ItNo
is illegal
to or
fish
or collect
any be
marine
resource
(3) pounds
while
using SCUBA
Nassau grouper closed season is December •
x Spear
Guns and air compressors are prohibited
February. Call FRIENDS for this year’s exact dates.
(permits required for residents to use compressors)
TURTLE
2'&()$012-$
It is illegal to harvest, purchase or sell any species of
turtle
any turtle
by-product
(e.g.isshells,
eggs) found
The or
capture
of bonefish
by nets
prohibited
within the Exclusive Economic Zone of The Bahamas.
Purchase or sale of bonefish is also prohibited
STONE
CRAB
No grouper
or rockfish should be caught under
three
(3)
pounds
Closed season is June 1—October 15. Harvest of
crabs,
or whole
is prohibited.
Claw
x female
Nassau
grouper
closedcrabs
season
is December
length
must
be
4
inches
to
harvest.
February. Call FRIENDS for this year’s exact dates
x
x
x
Shark Fishing & trade of shark products
$
is Prohibited in Bahamian Waters
*#,*()$
x
'"+'-$
CONCH
x
Any conch collected must be mature with a fully• Any conch collected must be mature with a fullyformed
1JJ@A?>5$
%@A?>5$
formed flared
flared lip
lip.
Immature
Mature
x • Queen
Conch
Queen Conch is
is
endangered
in
endangered in
most
most countries
countries
except
except The
Bahamas.
Bahamas. Help
Help
Front Cross
Front
Cross
us
us protect
protect our
our
Section
View Section
View
local
population!
local population!
',&/012-$
CRAWFISH
Closed Season
Season is
is April
April 1—July
1—July 31
31
x • Closed
Minimum size
size limit
limit is
is 33 1/4
1/4 inches
inches
x • Minimum
carapace length
length or
or 55 1/2
1/2 inches
inches tail length. Size
carapace
tail
length.
Size
Matters!
Matters!
Possession of egg bearing
x • Possession of egg bearing females is prohibited,
females is prohibited, as is
as is removing the eggs.
removing the eggs.
2*"+)$',&I$
It is illegal to harvest, purchase
sell any species
Theseoradditional
regulations
apply to visitors:
x Closed season is June 1—October 15
of turtle or any turtle by-product (e.g. shells, eggs)
x WHEN
Harvest FISHING:
of female crabs, or whole crabs is prohibfound within
Exclusive Economic
Zone of The
YOU
MAY the
COLLECT
NO MORE
ited.
Claw
length
must
be 4line”
inches to harvest.
Bahamas.
Use
Rod
and
Reel or
“hand
THAN:
Permits
are
required
for
foreign
vessels to sportfish
Six (6) conch per vessel at any time
*45$678879:;<$>5<?8@A:7;=$@BB8C$7;8C$A7$D:=:A7>=$$
!"#"$"%&'"()*+",&-./%(&0".1%&
No more than 6 lines in the water, unless
Ten (10) crawfish per vessel at any time
authorized.
60 pounds or 20 scale fish
!"#$%&!$'"(()'*$+"$%",)$*-&+.$
$
2+&34"5*6&-#7&07,)5"+&8"9%&:"+;&"+;&<7"&0".16&
Permits
required for use of spears, fish traps, or nets
18 migratory fish total: any combination of kingfish,
i Sixdolphin,
(6) conch
per
vessel
at
any
time
!,"51&<*/+;&8"9&'"()*+",&=7%7.>76&?",17.@%&8"9&&
(other
than landing nets)
tuna or wahoo. Others should be
i Ten
(10) crawfish
'"()*+",&0".16&A*B,&8"9&'"()*+",&0".16&-),,**&8"9&&
released
alive. per vessel at any time
i 60 pounds or 20 scale fish
=7%7.>7&"+;&(#7&34"5*&'"()*+",&0".1&#">7&477+&%7(&
i 18 migratory fish total: any combination of kingfish,
"%);7&C*.&9*/.&7+D*9$7+(E&&
dolphin, tuna or wahoo. Others should be released
'*(#)+F&$"9&47&("17+&C.*$&(#7&,"+;&*.&%7"&)+&-#7&
alive.
!"#"$"%&'"()*+",&-./%(&0".1%&G)+5,/;)+F&%#7,,%&"+;&
i Collection of turtle is not allowed