By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

A large visitor turnout is still expected at the 75th Bimini Native Fishing Tournament scheduled for July’s end despite the ongoing outcry over new and increased fees for boaters.

Ken Stubbs, president of the Bimini Native Fishing Tournament, said that after speaking with Bahamas Customs he feels confident that the event will draw many visitors despite the boating fee reforms. He added that he was told many tourists understand the increase based on information including how persons have signed up to participate.

Suggesting that visitor and Bahamian participation looks promising, Mr Stubbs said: “I was down at the Big Game dock all day, basically talking to the dock master and Customs. We as Bahamians, we don’t really listen. Most of us just jump to conclusions. You hear something and you run with it the wrong way.

“People keep saying to me, ‘Oh the Government is doing fool.’ But when I went and I sit down, I talk to Customs, and I got a understanding of what was happening. Then I agree that what government is doing is good, because what was told to me is: ‘Hey, listen, every time a boat comes in here, depending on the size, they got to pay $300’.

“So we have persons come to Bimini every month, maybe every couple of weeks. So that’s $300 for every trip they take. But if you pay $1,500, that $1,500 cover you for two years. So you can come as much times if you want. So actually, if you’re a person that comes to Bimini on a regular basis, you would be winning,” Mr Stubbs added.

“So when Customs broke it down for me like that, they say, ‘Ken, I don’t know what people make noise about.’ She said everybody that they spoke to, they understand what’s happening, they agree to it. She said a lot of people that called them told them they don’t have an issue with that. We have people come to Bimini every weekend on their boat. So if you do the math, and if you’re a person coming to Bimini eight times a year, that’s $2,400.”

Apart from marina visitors, Mr Stubbs said Resorts World Bimini normally enjoys 60 percent to 80 percent occupancy on weekends, which adds to possible foreign entries into the tournament. Listing Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina as its “number one sponsor”, he added that the tournament has also partnered with a number of local businesses including supermarkets and liquor stores. 

“Big Game is our number one sponsor,” Mr Stubbs said. “Then we have the Bimini Blue Water and Hotel Marina. It’s owned by a prominent Biminite family from Bimini, the Brown Sherman family. We also partner with Ocean Cay this year. We have Ocean Cay on board, and then we also have other locals on board.

“We have the golf cart vendors. We have the many supermarkets in Bimini. So we have basically the majority of the business on island behind us. This year, we are also partnering with the new airport company, the persons that are developing the airport. We partnering with them. And then we also partnering with the Bank of The Bahamas.

“We have a guy out of the US that does it. But this year we have the trophies are being done by Apex out of Nassau. There’s somebody in Bimini that does the shirts, but we’re still in talks with them for next year. We’re trying to use whatever resources we have and that’s my main thing when I took it over, is that we we would deal with international help to get it to where we want it,” he added.

“But then we look around for local persons who we can give the money to, rather than taking the money out the country. So this year, I got a hook up with Apex. Somebody turned me on to Apex in Nassau and said that they do the trophies.”

Set for three days, a welcome reception will be held on July 31. Friday will include a full day of fishing, while Saturday will be a half-day of fishing before ending with a cocktail reception. There will also be an awards ceremony. Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina will host the event. Interested parties can sign up to be part of the tournament up until “the day before the tournament, which is Thursday, July 31”.

“So we’re going to start off with just a welcome reception on the 31st, that Thursday night, and then Friday will be a full day of fishing with a cocktail reception to follow,” Nadia Rolle, the Ministry of Tourism manager, said.

“And then Saturday would be a half-day of fishing with the award ceremony at Big Game on Saturday night. We have awards and cash prizes. We have dock fishing, fishing for any type of fish or the most points would win the tournament. All fish count.”

Ms Rolle said booklets and t-shirts have been part of the tournament over the past several years, and businesses have the opportunity to be advertised in the booklet. The committee is seeking donations to fund prizes and future tournaments. 

“We are open to any business because we advertise them in our booklet,” she said. “So any business that’s open to partnering with us, we are open to hearing from them and receiving from them. They can contact the president, Mr Ken Stubbs, and we also have a bank account at Bank of The Bahamas if they wanted to make a contribution. We are looking at the next week, Friday, as a deadline.”