By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

The fly fishing industry needs regulation and protection, it was asserted during the Fly Fishing Industry Guides’ Homecoming Conclave yesterday.

The conclave hosted by the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA) honoured pioneers and living legends of the fly fishing industry.

BFFIA president Prescott Smith, during the conclave, unveiled a painting of a crazy charlie fly which he said “is about The Bahamas claiming rightfully something that revolutionised the salt water industry”. Mr Smith explained his father invented the fly that revolutionised the fly fishing industry only for American companies to gain success off of it. He said it has cost the economy of The Bahamas billions of dollars.

“I hired a law firm in Philadelphia, and it took quite a few years,” Mr Smith said. “It was an intense legal battle. Minister Campbell, Deputy Prime Minister, and eventually the US trade partner, trade office awarded the trademark so The Bahamas can rightfully claim what belongs to it.”

Mr Smith said with valuable and unique resources like those in The Bahamas, others will “want to come in and control your wealth.” He called for strengthened legislation to protect the industry adding: “The initial legislation was a start, but there are some few key things that need to take place to take it to the next level.” He said the industry must be declared to be “fully developed by Bahamians” which has seen “a lot of pushback.”

“And so when you’re talking about something that is with this kind of value, they definitely going to fight you,” Mr Smith said. “Anything that’s worthwhile, it’s not going to come easy, but we have to educate our people, and that’s why I always emphasise that if you get the information out to the general public... to realise this is your industry. And so you could imagine what is happening in the media space by foreign persons who are making a fortune in your country, and they don’t want you to know about it.”

He added: “It’s a matter of educating our population that you need to get more involved in this, because just a small number of guides cannot do it alone. If you had the world’s largest flats on planet Earth - which we do - do you really think a few hundred Bahamians can protect it? But if thousands of us put our voices together, you’ll find at the end of the day, It’ll even give our leaders more of a drive that this is coming from the population overall, because these are great forces.”

Mr Smith said every tourism association fought against legislation and commended the appointment of the first set of guides.

“I think the current Minister of the Environment, he did something historic when he appointed the first set of guides within his capacity, and that’s under the Forestry,” Mr Smith said. “It’s not a complete process. Now, there needs to be the next push to make the amendment to extend that to the flats.”

Agriculture Minister Jomo Campbell pledged his ministry will consult with all relevant stakeholders and strengthen the industry.

“And so when we offer this new legislative reform, we want to ensure that we have scanned the industry, we’ve gotten consultation from all relevant stakeholders, because we have to preserve this industry,” Mr Campbell said. “If you heard the general theme amongst all of the honorees here tonight, it’s a struggle, and we are now the beneficiaries of this, of their struggle.”

Mr Campbell spoke on the need for more wardens to protect flats. He said they are doing their best with limited resources

“I must say, just under two months ago, we had the success and our Supreme Court in Grand Bahama from Operation Red Dawn, which saw the conviction of three foreign nationals from the north with one of the highest sentences passed down on foreign nationals in the history of our country,” he said. “And there are also dozens and dozens of foreign nationals who have also been prosecuted in the US, in conjunction with the Lacey Act. And I can also say that in the very near future, you will also hear similar results from operation along those same lines that is currently underway. So I have to be a bit tight lipped about that, but we will be able to speak about that within the next two weeks.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper also acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry. He expressed support in the growth of the industry speaking to the Ministry of Tourism’s own unit which is focused on fly fishing. He said a series of fly fishing tournaments have launched with the first being in Grand Bahama.

Mr Cooper committed to persons wanting to become a fly fishing guide adding that the Tourism Development Corporation will provide scholarships at BAMSI. He noted 28 recruits are currently in training at BAMSI and are expected to graduate in March 2026 - the highest number they’ve seen thus far. He mentioned the Small Business Development Centre (TDC) and grants they’ve offered to those in the fly fishing industry as well as the Ministry of Finance who seeks incentives to provide for the industry.

He said they have been marketing and promoting fly fishing across different platforms and across the family Islands. He said the TDC is working on a programme to support more lodges across the islands.

“So let me be clear, the government of The Bahamas supports this industry, and there is a consensus that this industry first, is a business for Bahamians, and we are committed to bringing the support to you to be able to leverage the flats that we’ve got - a God-given resource that’s not easily duplicated anywhere on planet Earth,” Mr Cooper said. “But also, I want to tell you that this is a great opportunity for the empowerment of Bahamians to create wealth for themselves in the country, to employment, to help to build the tourism industry and to build communities all across the country and the overall economy. And I want to tell you that we recognise, all of us in the cabinet of Bahamas, that this is our things. And will we fully expect is us Bahamians who must be the beneficiaries. So as the government support provides support, it is up to you to continue to seize the day, and it is my desire as minister responsible for tourism and as a Bahamian to see more bone fishing, fly fishing lodges all across the islands of The Bahamas owned by Bahamians.”