By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR government official yesterday urged legislators not to impose additional restrictions on foreign sports fishermen, insisting that such a move could negatively affect the country’s tourism industry.

Noting that small boutique hotels throughout the Bahamas depend on sports fishing for the lion’s share of their income, the official who requested anonymity, said clamping down on the recreational activity should not even be a consideration of the Christie administration.

The remarks came after an announcement from Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister V Alfred Gray who said that legislation was being drafted for presentation to Cabinet with a view to further protect the integrity of the nation’s waters.

If Cabinet agrees, Mr Gray said sports fishermen would be allowed to retain up to 20 lbs of seafood caught in the Bahamas without concern for the number of persons on a vessel. As it stands each fisherman on board a boat is allowed to keep 20lbs of product.

He was speaking to parliamentarians as debate continued on the 2014/2015 budget.

“We are going to introduce legislation very shortly to limit the amount that foreign sports fishermen can take from our waters,” Mr Gray said.

“For far too long, people have come into our country under the guise of sports fishing and, Mr Speaker, they are taking much more than the law allows. We are going to put into the legislation where it used to be 20lbs per person, we are going to reduce it 20lbs per boat. If you have (multiple) persons on your boat you are still only going to be able to carry 20lbs. What used to be a man amount will now be a boat amount. I am going to bring legislation to Cabinet shortly to ensure that happens. We have to protect what is ours.”

Adrian Laroda, president of the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA), said the organisation would fully support measures that protect the livelihood of Bahamians. He urged the government to incorporate appropriate measures into fisheries regulations.

Mr Laroda said: “In most instances the sport fishermen take just as much as a Bahamian commercial fisherman and that cannot be acceptable.

“That is in great part the result of many of them being able to stay here for long periods of time and fish at their leisure

“We do support this proposal that will enable a clamp down on sports fishing along with Bahamian recreational fishing.”