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Miami, Florida - Offshore
Capt. Mark Houghtaling
July 1, 2000
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
This time of year, many boaters will be making the short, easy crossing to the
Bahamas. For some it may seem like a harrowing experience, but for others,
it can be a funfilled, exciting , family trip, that will be remembered for years.
The closest of the Bahamian islands is Bimini, which is located only about 55
miles from Miami. In a fast boat, it can be a short ninety minute ride. To
make your trip enjoyable, a few rules need to be followed. You will be
traveling to a foreign country and their laws may be different than ours.
When traveling by boat, upon approach to a port of entry, it is necessary to
fly a yellow quarantine flag. This flag can be taken down after clearing
customs. In Bimini there is a customs office on North Bimini, just north of
the landing pad for Chalks Airlines. In South Bimini, located inside the
lagoon at the Bimini Sands Hotel, there is also now, a Customs Office. You
must present a passport, or Birth Certificate. They will no longer accept a
drivers license. When checking in with customs, you will need to purchase a
fishing license if you are going to do any type of fishing. This license cost
$100.00. After you clear customs you are free to do just about anything you
would normally do legally here in the United States. If it’s not legal in the
states......it’s probably not legal in the Bahamas. The Bahamians have strict
fishing laws, and you will be given a copy of the rules when you clear
customs.
Their waters are beautiful, and their people very friendly. However, as
anywhere, you can always be confronted with a bad experience. I have heard
over the past few years that the Bahamas is “not like it used to be”. Not true.
Follow their rules, enjoy their hospitality, and especially take in all beautiful
water and aquatic life it has to offer, and you experience the vacation of a
lifetime.
The following is an excerpt from the Bahamas Consular Information Sheet
dated March 29,2000
CRIME INFORMATION: Visitors should exercise normal caution and good judgment
when visiting The Bahamas. Although violent crime is on the increase, most incidents
take place in parts of Nassau or Freeport not usually frequented by tourists (the
"over-the-hill" area in Nassau, the Lucaya area in Freeport). Hotel guests should always
lock their doors and should never leave valuables unattended, especially on beaches.
Visitors should store passport/identity documents, airline tickets, unused credit cards and
extra cash in hotel safes, and avoid wearing expensive jewelry, particularly Rolex
watches, which have been targeted increasingly by criminals. Visitors should not travel
alone on deserted areas of beaches or poorly-lit areas at night.
The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport overseas should be reported to the local police
and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. A lost or stolen U.S. birth certificate and/or
driver’s license generally cannot be replaced outside the United States. U.S. citizens may
refer to the Department of State’s pamphlets, , and for ways to promote a more
trouble-free journey. The pamphlets are available by mail from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet
at , or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at .
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS: Bahamian customs authorities may enforce strict penalties
concerning temporary import or export of firearms without appropriate permission.
Tourists who arrive by private boat are required to declare firearms to Bahamian customs
and to leave firearms on the boat while in The Bahamas. Penalties can involve heavy
fines, lengthy prison terms, or both. For further information on firearms in The Bahamas,
please contact the Embassy of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Washington,
D.C., or The Bahamas consulates in New York or Miami.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that
country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the
U.S. and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the U.S. for similar offenses.
Persons violating Bahamian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or
imprisoned. Penalties for possession use or trafficking in illegal drugs in The Bahamas
are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Boaters should be aware that long-line fishing in
Bahamian waters is illegal. All long-line fishing gear is required to be stowed below deck
while transiting through Bahamian waters. Fishermen should be aware that stiff penalties
are imposed for catching crawfish (lobster) or other marine life out of season or in
protected areas.
For further information, including entry/exit requirements, U.S. citizens may contact the
Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, 2220 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 319-2660 or The Bahamas consulates in
Miami at telephone (305) 373-6245 or New York at telephone (212) 421-6925.
Additional information is available on The Bahamas’ Tourist Board web site at or
telephone (800) 422-4262.
More Fishing Reports:
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