Podvodni ribolov na Bahamima
Bahami su ~700 otoka karbonatnog plićaka s bistrom vodom (15–30 m, često i više) nad oceanskim zidovima i Golfskom strujom. Ali je jedinstvena jurisdikcija: puška (speargun) je ZABRANJENA u cijeloj zemlji — legalni su samo havajska praćka (Hawaiian sling) i pole spear, i to uvijek na dah. Nema boce ni komprimiranog zraka. Ovaj vodič objašnjava koji harpun smiješ koristiti, pravila udaljenosti i gdje i kada roniti.
Voda postaje mliječna od VJETRA nad plitkim plićakom (nema rijeka ni izdizanja): pri udaru vjetra karbonatni pijesak je bijeli. Radi zavjetrinu (plićak) ili oceansku stranu ovisno o vjetru. Suha ljetna sezona (svi–ruj) je najbistrija i najmirnija; zima donosi fronte sa S. Ovaj vodič obilazi deset otoka i povezuje se s dnevnom prognozom «idemo / na granici / ne danas» za svaki grad.
Open the flagship — Andros →Pravila ukratko
- Puška (speargun) je zabranjena u cijeloj zemlji (Fisheries Regulations, Ch. 244, reg. 2(b) i 10). Legalni su samo havajska praćka i pole spear, bez kundaka i okidača.
- Samo apneja. Bilo kakav podvodni zrak — boca, hookah, kompresor — nezakonit je za lov ili sakupljanje. Također treba dozvola za ribolov s «spear endorsementom» koji potpisuje časnik; natjecanja u podvodnom ribolovu su zabranjena.
- Pravila udaljenosti: zabranjeno unutar 1 milje od New Providencea (Nassau) i JUŽNE obale Grand Bahame; te unutar 200 jardi od bilo kojeg Family Islanda. Zato su Nassau i Freeport info gradovi: legalni lov je na pučini.
- Morski parkovi = potpuni no-take (Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park i ~20 drugih): nula ribolova. Sezone: jastog (crawfish) 1. kol–31. ožu; nasauska kirnja zatvorena 1. pro–28. velj; conch je reguliran. Dozvola je obavezna i za jahtaše; ulov se ne smije prodavati.
Koji harpun smiješ legalno?
Kratki odgovor: havajska praćka ili pole spear, nikad puška. Havajska praćka je cijev s gumom koja izbacuje slobodnu šipku; pole spear je koplje s gumom na dršci. Nijedna nema kundak ni okidač, pa su obje legalne. Puška (guma ili pneumatska) nezakonita je i na dah. Ponesi svoju opremu: iznajmljivanje pušaka nije opcija.
Gdje roniti, po regiji
- Andros — vodeći: 3. najveći koraljni greben na svijetu i, tik iza njega, Jezik oceana (TOTO), jarak ~2000 m uz obalu. Zid, pelagične vrste i stotine plavih rupa.
- Bimini — zid Golfske struje ~80 km od Floride: bistra voda, pelagične vrste, olupina Sapona. Exuma — ECLSP (no-take od 1986.) počinje sjeverno od Conch Cuta: lovi JUŽNO. Eleuthera — Spanish Wells, prijestolnica jastoga; Current Cut teče jako (samo u zatišju).
- Abaco — zaštićeno More Abaco i barijerni greben, s mnogo no-take parkova uokolo. Long Island — Dean's Blue Hole (~202 m), meka apneje, i zidovi Stella Marisa. San Salvador i Cat Island — udaljeni, dramatični zidovi uz obalu, najbolja vidljivost (25–30 m).
Sezona, vidljivost i sigurnost
Najbolja sezona je suho ljeto (svi–ruj): mirno, topla voda (28–30 °C) i najbistrija vidljivost. Zima (stu–tra) donosi hladne fronte sa S/SZ koje mute plićak. U «cut»-ovima među hridima (Exuma, Current Cut) struja teče 3–5 čvorova: roni samo u zatišju. Sargassum može doprijeti do JI otoka od tra do lis.
Sigurnost: Bahami su utočište za morske pse od 2011. i gustoća je visoka (najveća kod Biminija i Grand Bahame). Harpunirana riba privlači pozornost: ne drži plijen uz tijelo, brzo ga zbrini i roni s partnerom. I poštuj sezonu uragana (lip–stu).
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, ali samo na dah i s havajskom praćkom ili pole spearom — puška je zabranjena. Nema boce ni komprimiranog zraka. Treba dozvola sa «spear endorsementom» i poštivanje udaljenosti (≥1 milja od New Providencea i juga Grand Bahame, ≥200 jardi od vanjskih otoka).
Smijem li koristiti pušku?
Ne. Puška bilo koje vrste (guma ili pneumatska) zabranjena je u cijeloj zemlji, čak i na dah. Legalni su samo havajska praćka i pole spear. Ponesi svoju opremu.
Trebam li dozvolu?
Da. Treba dozvola za ribolov (i za jahtaše, vadi se pri ulasku) sa «spear endorsementom» koji potpisuje časnik. Ulov se ne smije prodavati te vrijede ograničenja i zabrane.
Koja je najbolja sezona i vidljivost?
Suho ljeto (svi–ruj): mirno, voda 28–30 °C i vidljivost 15–30 m, često i više na oceanskim zidovima (Andros, Long Island, San Salvador). Zimi fronte sa S mute plićak; tada radi zavjetrinu. Biraj dan prema vjetru i prognozi.