Je li podvodni ribolov legalan na Bahamima? Sva pravila
Kratki odgovor: da, podvodni ribolov legalan je na Bahamima, ali pod nekim od najstrožih pravila o opremi na svijetu. Puška (speargun) zabranjena je u cijeloj zemlji (Fisheries Regulations, Ch. 244, reg. 2(b) i 10). Smiješ koristiti samo havajsku praćku ili pole spear, i to uvijek na dah — boca, hookah i bilo kakav komprimirani zrak za lov su nezakoniti. Kršenje pravila o opremi tretira se kao krijumčarenje na carini, a ne kao kazna.
Ostalo se tiče gdje, s kojim papirima i što smiješ ponijeti. Ovaj vodič obilazi cijeli pravilnik — zabranu puške, pravilo apneje, udaljenosti na pučini, dozvolu i «spear endorsement», no-take parkove, ograničenja ulova i zabrane — da stigneš u skladu s propisima i roniš mirne glave.
Open the flagship — Andros →Pravilo opreme: nikakve puške
Zakon definira kao «prohibited apparatus» svaki uređaj, osim havajske praćke, namijenjen izbacivanju projektila pod vodom (reg. 2(b)). Puška — guma ili pneumatska, s kundakom i okidačem — spada točno tamo, pa je nezakonita i kad se koristi na dah. Legalni su samo havajska praćka i pole spear (bez kundaka i okidača). Vatreno oružje za lov također je zabranjeno, uz jednu iznimku: «bang stick» protiv morskih pasa (reg. 4). Nema iznajmljivanja pušaka: ponesi svoju legalnu opremu.
Samo na dah
Bilo koji podvodni uređaj osim disalice za disanje pod vodom je «prohibited apparatus» (reg. 2(a) i 10). To znači: boca, hookah i kompresor nezakoniti su za lov ili sakupljanje. Službeni FAQ ministarstva kaže to jasno: «Smijem li koristiti bocu ili kompresor za lov? Ne.» Jedini legalan način lova je na dah, s disalicom. To izjednačava igru i štiti resurs.
Pravila udaljenosti: gdje ne smiješ loviti
- Zabranjeno unutar 1 milje od obale New Providencea (cijeli Nassau) — reg. 6(a).
- Zabranjeno unutar 1 milje od JUŽNE obale Grand Bahame (Freeport) — reg. 6(b).
- Zabranjeno unutar 200 jardi od bilo kojeg drugog Family Islanda — reg. 6(c). U praksi, legalni lov je na grebenu i zidovima na pučini, ne s plaže.
- Unutar 200 jardi od bilo kojeg otoka smiješ uzeti samo hranu za sebe i obitelj — nikakva trgovina uz obalu (reg. 11).
Dozvola i «spear endorsement»
Strano plovilo treba sportsfishing permit (reg. 47): 20 $ po izlasku ili 150 $ godišnje za plovila s ≤6 rola. Pravo na korištenje harpuna dodaje se kao pisana napomena («spear endorsement») koju časnik potpisuje na dozvoli (reg. 48(1)(b)). Sređuje se pri ulasku u zemlju (Click2Clear / SeazPass). Ronilac s obale bez plovila ostaje u sivoj zoni: da budeš siguran, izvadi dozvolu s endorsementom. Ulov se ne smije prodavati, a natjecanja u podvodnom ribolovu su zabranjena (reg. 9).
Zaštićene vrste i zabrane
- Morske kornjače: potpuna zabrana (uzimanje, posjedovanje, prodaja) — reg. 29–31.
- Morski psi: potpuna zabrana, pusti ih žive — Bahami su utočište za morske pse od 2011. (reg. 36A–E).
- Nasauska kirnja: zatvorena 1. pro–28. velj; najmanja veličina 3 lb (reg. 35).
- Jastog (crawfish): zabrana 1. tra–31. srp; sezona 1. kol–31. ožu; najmanje 3¼″ oklopa ili 5½″ repa; nikakve ženke s jajima (reg. 16–24).
- Kameni rak: zabrana 1. lip–15. lis. Queen conch: samo s dobro formiranom usnom; reguliran, uz moratorij na komercijalni izvoz (reg. 27–28). Koralj je zaštićen (reg. 12).
Ograničenja i nošenje ulova
Na plovilu (reg. 48): pridnena riba (rumenci, kirnje) ≤60 lb ili 20 riba, što je manje; migratorne (kingfish, mahi, tuna, wahoo) ≤18; conch ≤6; jastog ≤10; kornjača 0; iglani (marlin, iglan) se puštaju. U osobnoj prtljazi na izlasku (reg. 70): ≤6 kingfish/mahi/wahoo, ili ≤10 lb conch ili jastoga, ili ≤20 lb druge pridnene ribe. Ako letiš na Floridu, dodatno vrijede pravila FWC-a SAD-a.
Where to dive, by region
New Providence
New Providence (Nassau) — the No.1 hub, but hunting is banned within 1 mile of shore: legal hunting is on the offshore banks and cays. Gin-clear water, a launch point.
- Nassau — Nassau is the country's №1 traffic hub, but spearfishing is banned within 1 mile of New Providence's coast — so the city itself is an info stop, not a shot.
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama — Freeport-Lucaya on the south shore under the ≥1-mile rule; the famous Theo's Wreck (a dive site). West End — the western gateway from Florida on the bank edge.
- Freeport–Lucaya — Freeport–Lucaya sits on Grand Bahama's south coast, where spearfishing is banned within 1 mile — the famous Theo's Wreck and UNEXSO reefs are dive sites, not shots.
- West End — West End is Grand Bahama's westernmost point (Old Bahama Bay), a classic gateway from Florida on the edge of the Little Bahama Bank.
Bimini
Bimini — the islands closest to Florida (~80 km): the bank's western edge drops in a wall to the Gulf Stream. Gin-clear water, pelagics, the iconic Sapona wreck.
- Alice Town (Bimini) — Bimini is the closest Bahamas to Florida (~80 km): the western edge of the Great Bahama Bank drops into the Gulf Stream — gin-clear walls, pelagics and a verified spot array.
Abaco
Abaco — the sheltered Sea of Abaco between the mainland and the barrier reef, plus the ocean side with reef and wrecks. Many no-take parks around (Pelican Cays, Fowl Cays).
- Marsh Harbour — Marsh Harbour, the country's third-largest town, is the boat and charter hub of the Sea of Abaco — a sheltered lagoon between mainland Abaco and the barrier-reef cays.
- Hope Town — Hope Town on Elbow Cay (the candy-striped lighthouse) sits on the ocean side of the Abaco barrier reef — reef and wall past 200 yd, plus the sheltered Sea of Abaco behind.
- Treasure Cay — Treasure Cay — famous beach and marina on mainland Abaco — fronts the sheltered Sea of Abaco with the barrier reef offshore.
- Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) — Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) is a fishing settlement on northern Abaco — barrier reef and the historic San Jacinto wreck offshore.
Eleuthera
Eleuthera — Spanish Wells, the country's lobster capital with rich banks; nearby is Current Cut, a famous strong-current drift (slack only). Harbour Island's pink beaches.
- Spanish Wells — Spanish Wells (St. George's Cay) is the crawfish capital — the country's biggest lobster fleet, so proven productive banks all around. Legal hunting past…
- Harbour Island (Dunmore Town) — Harbour Island (Dunmore Town, the pink-sand resort) fronts the Devil's Backbone reef on its ocean side — a shallow, jagged ship-graveyard, so navigate carefully.
- Governor's Harbour — Governor's Harbour is Eleuthera's administrative centre, set on a sheltered leeward bay with the Atlantic reef on the ocean side.
- Rock Sound — Rock Sound, southern Eleuthera, sits on the sheltered side by the inland Ocean Hole (a landlocked blue hole, an info curiosity) with Atlantic reef offshore.
Exuma
Exuma — the ECLSP park (no-take since 1986) starts north of Conch Cut: hunt SOUTH of it, outside the park. George Town and Staniel Cay are hubs; 20–30 m clarity.
- George Town — George Town (Great Exuma, Elizabeth Harbour) is the Exumas hub and regatta anchorage.
- Staniel Cay — Staniel Cay sits mid-chain in the Exuma Cays (the swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto) — but the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (no-take) begins just north at Conch Cut, so hunt only SOUTH of Conch Cut, outside the park.
Andros
Andros — the flagship of Bahamian spearfishing: the world's 3rd-largest barrier reef and, right behind it, the Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), a ~2,000 m trench off the coast, plus hundreds of blue holes.
- Fresh Creek / Andros Town — Fresh Creek / Andros Town is the heart of the Bahamas' spearfishing flagship: Andros carries the world's third-largest barrier reef, and just beyond it the Tongue of the Ocean drops to ~2,000 m right off the east shore.
- Nicholls Town — Nicholls Town, northern Andros, is the quiet northern approach to the great Andros barrier reef and the Tongue of the Ocean wall.
Long Island
Long Island — Dean's Blue Hole (~202 m), a world freediving mecca and trust for a «breath-hold» brand, plus the Atlantic walls of Stella Maris on the east side.
- Clarence Town — Clarence Town, Long Island, is home to Dean's Blue Hole — the world's second-deepest blue hole and the Vertical Blue freediving arena.
- Stella Maris — Stella Maris, northern Long Island, is a resort with dive infrastructure and Atlantic walls off the east shore (Shark Reef, the Comberbach wreck, Cape Santa Maria).
San Salvador
San Salvador — a remote ocean plateau island (fly-in): dramatic wall drops 100–200 m off the beach and the clearest water in the Bahamas (25–30 m+).
- Cockburn Town — Cockburn Town is the main settlement of San Salvador, a remote oceanic plateau where the reef drops into deep water 100–200 m off the beach — dramatic walls and the clearest water in the country (25–30 m+).
Cat Island
Cat Island — remote, with minimal fishing pressure: walls, The Cut and high visibility on the leeward west coast.
- New Bight — New Bight is the main settlement of Cat Island (Mount Alvernia's Hermitage above it), a remote, low-pressure island with walls, The Cut and coastal dropoffs into deep water.
Frequently asked questions
Rules current as of 2026 — always confirm with the Department of Marine Resources before you go. Spearguns are banned country-wide (Hawaiian sling / pole spear only, breath-hold); keep ≥1 mile off New Providence and south Grand Bahama, ≥200 yards off any Family Island; national marine parks are no-take.
Je li podvodni ribolov legalan na Bahamima?
Da, na dah s havajskom praćkom ili pole spearom — puška je zabranjena. Treba dozvola sa «spear endorsementom» i poštivanje udaljenosti (≥1 milja od New Providencea i juga Grand Bahame, ≥200 jardi od ostalih otoka).
Smijem li donijeti svoju pušku?
Ne, nemoj. Puška je zabranjena u cijeloj zemlji i na carini se tretira kao krijumčarenje opreme. Umjesto toga ponesi havajsku praćku ili pole spear.
Trebam li dozvolu za lov s obale?
To je siva zona: režim dozvole vezan je uz plovilo. Oprezan pristup: izvadi dozvolu za ribolov sa «spear endorsementom» pri ulasku, poštuj udaljenosti i ne sudjeluj na natjecanjima.
Smijem li koristiti bocu za lov?
Ne. Samo na dah. Boca, hookah i kompresor nezakoniti su za lov ili sakupljanje u cijeloj zemlji.
Što ne smijem uzeti?
Kornjače, morske pse (pusti ih), nasausku kirnju (1. pro–28. velj), jastoga izvan sezone (1. tra–31. srp), podmjerne ili s jajima, i koralj. I ništa unutar nacionalnih parkova.