The FNM Suspends The Fly Fishing Rules

From the Office of The Chairman of The Progressive Liberal Party

On Suspension of the Fly Fishing Regulations

For Immediate Release

18 April 2018

The Progressive Liberal Party is confounded by the decision of the Cabinet of The Bahamas to suspend the regulations which govern fishing in The Bahamas. It is simply an act of madness. In doing so, they have stripped away protection of the fishing grounds to all and sundry and stripped away protection of the Fly Fishing sector which was reserved by the PLP for Bahamians.

Here we go again with yet another example of the Free National Movement looking out for foreigners and not for Bahamians. The PLP put in place regulations which protected fly fishing for Bahamians and maximum protection against pilferage by strangers coming into this country to pillage our fish stocks.

Every day Bahamians must ask the question: what will get this FNM Government to stand up for the interests of Bahamians in the face of their foreign friends? Where is their sense of patriotism and pride in this country?

Bahamian bonefish guides now know that they have no friends in the FNM. All the patient work done by the Fisheries Department under the PLP has been scrapped and now there is open season in our fishing flats.

This is shameful. You have a Fisheries Minister that could not stand up for conservation and for Bahamian bonefish guides. He could not stand up for regulations which would bring much needed revenue to his Department from fishing licences. That revenue will now be lost. For 15 years, the FNM fought these regulations. The PLP put them in place and as soon as the FNM came back to power, they have now suspended them.

The PLP pledges as soon as it returns to office to return the provisions and rules to protect Bahamian fishing stocks and the Fly Fishing sector for Bahamians.

End