Nassau i Freeport: zašto je lov na pučini
Poštena vijest: oko Nassaua (New Providence) i na južnoj obali Grand Bahame (Freeport) ne smiješ loviti unutar 1 milje od obale (reg. 6(a) i (b)). Na otoku opasanom miljom zabrane, to praktički zatvara plažu i bliski greben — legalna linija je na pučini. Na ostatku Grand Bahame, dalje od južne obale, vrijedi opće pravilo od 200 jardi.
To ne znači da Nassau i Freeport ne vrijede: imaju chartere, grebene i olupine svjetske klase. Samo mijenja scenarij: ovdje roniš za šnorkanje i ronjenje, tečaj apneje ili culling crvene ribe — a za lov, izlaziš na pučinu brodom. Ovaj vodič jasno iznosi pravilo, gdje su no-take parkovi i koje opcije imaš.
Open the flagship — Andros →Milja zabrane, iskreno
Reg. 6(a) zabranjuje harpun unutar 1 milje od linije oseke New Providencea. Reg. 6(b) čini isto na južnoj obali Grand Bahame (Freeport). New Providence je dovoljno malen da prsten od milje pokriva cijeli rub grebena: legalna linija je na pučini. Zato su oba «info gradovi» na spearu: legalni lov obavlja se brodom, na pučini.
Zašto je glavni grad stroži
Nije to pravilo protiv lova: radi se o sigurnosti i suživotu. New Providence i jug Freeporta koncentriraju promet plovila, kruzere, sidrišta, kupače i nautički turizam. Odmicanje harpuna milju daleko izbjegava sukobe i nesreće u prometnoj vodi. Na manje naseljenim otocima dovoljno je 200 jardi jer tog pritiska nema.
No-take parkovi Nassaua i Grand Bahame
- New Providence: Bonefish Pond NP, Clifton Heritage NP i Primeval Forest — svi no-take.
- Grand Bahama: Peterson Cay NP, Lucayan NP i Rand Nature Centre — zaštićeni, bez ribolova.
- Uvijek provjeri granice parka (Bahamas National Trust / bahamasprotected.com) prije ulaska: unutar parka je potpuni no-take.
Što ipak možeš raditi
- Rezerviraj charter koji ide na pučinu (>1 milja) ili na Family Islands za legalan lov.
- Šnorkaj i roni s bocom: prvorazredni grebeni i olupine (Nassau ima filmske lokacije); samo bez harpuna.
- Upiši tečaj apneje, ili se pridruži cullingu crvene ribe s operaterom (invazivna vrsta, potiče se).
Charteri i izlazak na pučinu
Rezerviraj licencirani sportsfishing charter (oni nose permit; tebi možda još treba tvoj «spear endorsement» — potvrdi). Neki idu na Exume ili Berry Islands. Ponesi svoj pole spear ili havajsku praćku, i provjeri da brod prelazi milju i ne ulazi u park. Tako pretvaraš «zatvoreni» grad u savršenu bazu.
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.
Mogu li loviti u Nassauu?
Ne unutar 1 milje od New Providencea. Izađi na pučinu brodom ili charterom, preko milje, za legalan lov.
Mogu li loviti u Freeportu?
Ne unutar 1 milje od južne obale Grand Bahame. Na ostatku otoka vrijedi opće pravilo od 200 jardi.
Što mogu raditi u Nassauu umjesto toga?
Šnorkanje, ronjenje na grebenima i olupinama, tečajevi apneje, culling crvene ribe, ili charter na pučinu za lov.
Nosi li charter dozvolu?
Bahamski charteri nose sportsfishing permit, ali možda ti još treba tvoj «spear endorsement» — potvrdi pri rezervaciji.
Zašto je pravilo ovdje tako strogo?
Prometna voda, kruzerske luke i sidrišta: to je pravilo sigurnosti i suživota, ne protiv lova.