NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas has lost billions in revenue having failed to properly capitalize on its flats fishing industry, according to Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association (BFFIA) president Prescott Smith,
Smith argued that there should be a minimum of 1,600 professional guides in the country as he responded to a recent report by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).
In its 2023 Economic Contributions of Recreational Fishing: U.S. Congressional Districts report released earlier this month, the ASA noted that the US has 52.4 million anglers who contribute $148 billion in economic output, and support 945,500 jobs across the entire country, while also contributing $1.8 billion towards conservation.
Jobs supported by the industry include the manufacturing and sales of fishing equipment and gear, recreational fishing also supports jobs in additional industries, such as hotel lodging, restaurants, charter boat trips, and more.
Smith said that the report only further confirmed what he has been saying for decades; that the flats fishing industry represents a tremendous opportunity for economic growth and Bahamian ownership in the tourism industry.
“After all these years, the special interest groups who were fighting us can no longer refute the things we were saying. It is just so unfortunate that as a country we have taken so long to put the necessary processes and systems in place to tap into the industry’s true potential so that Bahamians can truly benefit,” said Smith.
He continued, “If you look back 20 years ago Belize had a little over two dozen guides and now they have 1,000 full-time guides compared to the 400 full-time guides that we have. That should not be when we have the largest flats in the world. No Minister of Tourism has ever implemented a model that was about Bahamian ownership. I do see the doors being opened with the new director general and minister.”
Smith said that there needs to be more support and concessions offered to local guides as well as greater support for the guide training program.
“We have fallen way behind and the country has lost billions in revenue because we should have had at the minimum triple the number of professional guides we currently have in the country. The Ministry of Tourism has a director for weddings for example but we have never had a division specifically to deal with fly fishing. We are at a juncture where we have one last chance to save this industry for Bahamians,“ said Smith.
