NASSAU, BAHAMAS— Eight years after legislation formally recognised fly fishing as a protected, Bahamian-led industry, key regulatory gaps, weak enforcement and unfinished policy reforms continue to limit the sector’s full economic potential, according to Prescott Smith, president of the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA).
Smith said the fly-fishing sector, if properly protected and expanded, could generate billions annually, far exceeding its current contribution. “If you look at the industry currently, what it generates legally and illegally and its true potential, I could say a minimum of four to five billion dollars a year,” he said. “And that is without over-pressuring the resource.”
He continued: “The issue of fly fishing is not just about fishing,” Smith explained. “It was very much surrounding our ownership when it comes to our resources overall, and the entire economic model.”
Early advocacy focused on formalising guiding, which Smith said was not legally recognised at the time. Meetings with successive tourism ministers eventually made it clear that national legislation would require a national organisation rather than an island-based group. “We were advised us that if we wanted to affect national laws in the country, we needed to have the national association,” Smith recalled.
That process led first to the Bahamas Sports Fishing and Conservation Association and later to the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association, a legal entity created specifically to pursue legislation for shallow-water fisheries. Smith said resistance intensified once ownership became the central issue. “What was surprising to me was that our tourism model was one about us working in the industry, but not being in a position of ownership,” he said.
After studying global sport-fishing dynamics, Smith and his colleagues concluded that focusing on shallow-water flats offered the only viable path forward. “If you try to deal with the entire marine environment, you cannot get legislation passed because of the tremendous pushback,” he said. “But if we come from the shallow-water angle, we had a chance.”
That strategy ultimately resulted in the Flats Fishing Act, which became law in early, 2017. Smith described it as historic. “For the first time in our country’s history, it made the guiding profession legally recognised,” he said. “And one of the key things that faced tremendous opposition was that to guide in the Bahamas, you have to be a Bahamian citizen.”
The legislation also introduced angler licensing, protected bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and cobia from commercial sale, and balanced conservation with cultural practices. Smith noted that the law respected traditional use of the flats. “You have to respect the fact that many locals traditionally enjoy going out on the flats,” he said. “As long as they’re not abusing the fishery, they’re not going to hurt it.”
However, Smith said the passage of the law did not end the battle. “You would think after legislation like this passing, the fight would be over,” he said. “But the battle intensified even more.” Following the 2017 general election, Smith said repeal efforts emerged almost immediately, driven by foreign and special interests who viewed the law as a threat. “One of their first items on the agenda was to repeal the legislation,” he said.
While the law survived, Smith said years were lost defending it rather than strengthening it. Under the current administration, he acknowledged some progress, including government support for the association and targeted assistance through the Small Business Development Centre. Still, he said critical reforms remain outstanding.
Among the most pressing issues, Smith highlighted widespread violations that continue to undermine Bahamian participation. “You have huge yachts coming into the Bahamas with three or four flats boats and foreign guides running floating fishing lodges,” he said. “If somebody is using their boat as a floating lodge or motel, they’re running an illegal business.”
“These things were happening back then, and they’ve only grown to this present state,” Smith said, warning that such activity is costing the country hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Smith also argued that the industry must expand beyond traditional bonefishing to remain globally competitive. “The industry has evolved at a totally different level,” he said.
Central to his advocacy is a people-driven conservation model. “Conservation has to be very people-driven,” Smith said. “It’s about educating citizens and using resources in a sustainable way so they can earn a living and support their families.”
He framed the issue as one of national economic independence, pointing out that the Bahamas’ greatest asset lies offshore. “Our oil well is our marine environment,” Smith said. “Eighty-five percent of our country is the marine space. We are an ocean state.”
Beyond guiding and lodging, Smith said the true value of fly fishing lies in product development, branding and intellectual property. “It’s the shirt, the eyewear, the gear, the trademarks,” he said. “That’s the industry and its true potential.”
After working with four prime ministers across multiple administrations, Smith said the fly-fishing fight revealed a much larger national challenge. “This issue is not just about the fish,” he said. “It’s about resources and who controls the resources.”
Without stronger protections, enforcement and policy support, he warned, Bahamians risk losing control of one of their most valuable and sustainable industries. “If it’s not protected or reserved for the citizens,” Smith said, “there’ll be very little left of the Bahamas for Bahamian ownership.”
