By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian charter operator, who played a key role in apprehending a foreign rival accused of operating illegally in this nation, yesterday revealed his bookings surged 45 percent after the arrest.

Jeremy Wong, a 20-year industry veteran who operates Spanish Wells-based Black in Blue Charters, told Tribune Business he believes the US owner of Highly Migratory, the sports fishing boat seized on January 27, 2025, in an undercover operation in involving Bahamian and US law enforcement, was able to recover the vessel from detention “a bit too easily”.

Speaking after Justice Andrew Forbes ordered that the boat be released upon payment of a $100,000 bond and some $20,445 in storage fees due to Bradford Marine, he argued that The Bahamas needed to “send a more resounding message” to the foreign operators of alleged illegal charters by holding the accused vessels “as long as possible” and then potentially auctioning them off.

Mr Wong, suggesting that the Highly Migratory was worth $1m-plus, higher than the $750,000 value assigned to it by its owner, self-described Florida businessman Mark Tsurkis, told this newspaper that while he understood the judge’s reasoning it still felt as if The Bahamas had gotten “an ounce of flesh, rather than a pound of flesh” for violations of its Fisheries Act.

Arguing that the funds raised from selling-off guilty vessels could be reinvested in improved maritime law enforcement, he added that the exploitation of Bahamian waters by illegal foreign charters posed multiple dangers to visitor safety, marine resources and this nation’s reputation as a safe destination for tourists and fishing.

Raising questions over whether such vessels have proper liability insurance, and comply with seaworthiness requirements imposed by local and foreign regulators, Mr Wong compared this to the numerous “hoops” he faces to satisfy the Port Department and said he just wants to compete on a “level playing field” where all abide by the law and regulations.

And, besides the business lost by legitimate Bahamian charter operators to illegal foreign rivals, he added that the latter also contribute to considerable revenue leakage from the Public Treasury as they pay not a cent in taxes. While unable to place a dollar figure on these losses, Mr Wong said the sudden jump in bookings following Highly Migratory’s arrest provides a good insight.

“It’s hard to put an actual target number on that,” he told Tribune Business. “What I will tell you is that last winter our booking requests went up 45 percent from the same demographic in the area where Highly Migratory was operating their charters and other illegal charter operators were doing it as well. They got scared when Highly Migratory got busted and turned tail.

“These are the same clientele fishing with Highly Migratory and others. I cannot tell you the exact dollar figure, but our business went up 45 percent in a matter of weeks. It wasn’t coincidental. We did research on the demographics; the clients who would get on fishing trips to Cat Island and San Salvador.

“They are some of the best sports fishing areas in the world. Anyone knows it’s a fishing mecca in winter for Giant Wahoo. A lot of customers probably don’t understand they are on these illegal charters.” Mr Wong revealed that Highly Migratory’s arrest, which was two-and-a-half years coming, was sparked by inquiries he made to determine if they had the necessary charter and commercial/paid fishing permits.

Explaining that Black in Blue Charters conducts fishing expedition charters throughout The Bahamas, he disclosed that he ran into Highly Migratory offering the same services down in the Cat Island and San Salvador area. “I verified what the vessel was actually doing, as they could potentially have been licensed to do so,” Mr Wong explained.

“I reached out to the Port Department, and they had no record of this boat being licensed to do charters of any type in The Bahamas. Once I established that, I confronted the guy. I went to them. I said: ‘What you’re doing is illegal. I’m going to suggest very strongly that you pack up this operation until you get permission to do so.”

When Highly Migratory and its operators failed to heed the warning, Mr Wong said he reached out to Wild Aid, a marine enforcement non-profit for help. “I worked with these guys for two years, and they set this up,” he explained of the undercover ‘sting’, which involved Wild Aid representatives posing as customers and booking a fishing charter on the vessel.

Undercover officers from Bahamas Customs were also aboard when the boat was apprehended by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force on January 27, 2025. The vessel’s captain, Ramel Sheikh, and two crew members, Mr Bacallo and Mr Longman, were arrested and charged with breaches of both the Fisheries Act and Firearms Act.

The trio pleaded not guilty and were released on cash bail worth $20,000 each, with a case management hearing set for September 10, 2025. However, Mr Tsurkis, the vessel’s owner, was not charged or named as a defendant, and it was he who applied to the Supreme Court for the vessel’s release. And the crew’s attorney argued they have a strong defence to the charges laid against them.

Justice Forbes, in his July 1, 2025, verdict, ordered that Highly Migratory be released to Mr Tsurkis once he pays a bond - a security or guarantee - equal to the maximum $100,000 fine that can be imposed if the vessel and its occupants are ultimately found guilty of the claimed breaches.

Besides having to lodge a bond ten times’ higher than the $10,000 security he had suggested, Mr Tsurkis was also ordered to pay $20,445 - representing five months’ worth of storage fees - to Bradford Marine and cover all costs involved in recovering the vessel from his own pocket. Any fish found on the vessel are to be given free to children’s and elderly person’s homes if still in good condition.

But Mr Wong, while acknowledging that he is not an attorney, argued that the Highly Migratory’s release from the Bahamian authorities’ custody at this stage was “too lenient” an outcome. While the Government and foreign law enforcement are starting to take illegal foreign charters “more seriously”, and crack down on them, he added that the courts are being “too conservative”.

“They’re starting to take this more seriously now, but I fear the courts are too conservative and too lenient. This took me years of pushing this stuff; I pushed and pushed and pushed for this,” Mr Wong told Tribune Business.

“I think the judge was far too lenient. Their [Highly Migratory’s] sports fishing licence did not allow them to do any sort of commercial fishing, any sort of paid fishing, other than recreational sports fishing... We have laws and powers to seize a boat. We should have held this vessel and made this guy come to court. He’s going to pay the bond, pay the storage, pay $130,000 to get the boat and never return.

“Some people will argue that we got a pound of flesh. I say we got an ounce of flesh. He won’t ever come to The Bahamas.” However, Mr Tsurkis was never charged or named as a defendant, and section 102 (1) of the Fisheries Act gives the courts discretion to determine whether, and when, boats and other seized property should be released.

Mr Wong, while saying that he understood the rationale for Justice Forbes’ decision, and that payment of the maximum fine was guaranteed if so ordered, nevertheless argued that the Highly Migratory should have been auctioned off to the highest bidder. This would have both raised funds for maritime law enforcement and sent a warning to other illegal foreign charters, both existing and potential.

“While it’s good for us to see we’re finally making some progress, and the Government is taking it seriously, it’s tough to see this guy getting off with a slap on the wrist,” he added. “We could have sent a strong message by making this guy come and face the charges, and sell the boat off for a much higher yield to help finance the fight [against illegal foreign charters].

“Having been an integral part of this, I was left feeling somewhat disappointed with the outcome given how much of an impact these illegal charter trips have on The Bahamas and Bahamian businesses. By putting Highly Migratory out it sends a certain message. We need to send a more resounding message by keeping the boat as long as possible to get a better result.

“I understand the judge levied the maximum fine, and understand the reason behind it... The judge didn’t do anything wrong, me not being a lawyer and armed only with common sense. But I’d like to believe we could have achieved a deeper, more meaningful result than $100,000.”

Mr Wong explained that he was worried that current, and potential, illegal foreign charter operators may interpret Justice Forbes’ decision as a signal to continue with their Bahamian operations using older boats that represent little to no loss if they are seized. And the owners of illegal foreign charter vessels may gain encouragement that there is a route to get them back at minimal cost of apprehended.

“I want them to know you cannot come here and do what you feel like. This is a nation of laws,” Mr Wong told this newspaper. “I’m proud of what I did. I’m a Bahamian, a proud Bahamian, in business and want a ‘level playing field’. That’s all. It was a bit too easy. [A $100,000 bond/fine] was a drop in the bucket for a $1m boat as far as I’m concerned.”

Mr Wong said the Port Department “insists every year” on seeing all his vessels, and those belonging to other legitimate Bahamas-based charter operators. The regulator also requires proof that they have the necessary liability insurance and surveyor’s report - requirements that illegal charter operators can avoid.

“The boats have to be inspected and we have to be above board,” he added. “As a Bahamian, I don’t have a problem with the fees and hoops we have to jump through. We have to procure liability insurance ourselves, and every year pay a small fortune to register the vessels as well as the Business Licence side. We have to jump through a lot of hoops.

“These foreign guys, they take all these bookings almost totally in the US. Some take bookings in Canada. They do this foolishness as well. They’ll take the bookings offshore, fly them into fish, and back out. That’s basically the gist of what’s happening. As a Bahamian in this business, I shouldn’t have to compete with foreigners who are operating illegally.”