# Bringing fish back from Bahamas?



## mmcneil (Feb 16, 2015)

Anyone ever go over and fish for a few days then bring the dolphin, tuna etc back? We were told that grouper and snapper could be cleaned and frozen, but not dolphin.  We go over every year for a couple weeks.  Last year FWC checked us at the ramp and told us the pelagics have to be left whole. Two years ago custom agents checked the boat and told us the fish just had to be documented that it was caught in the bahamas via pictures and we were good to go.  It's  not practical and almost impossible to keep fish whole for that long.  Thanks


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## FREEDOM22 (Feb 16, 2015)

*this may help*

This is on the FWC website:http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/bahamas/


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## FREEDOM22 (Feb 16, 2015)

*more*

http://safmc.net/fish-id-and-regs/regulations-species


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## mmcneil (Feb 16, 2015)

Thanks freedom,  I'm familiar with those regs.  It's just almost impossible to keep head and tail intact for two weeks. A 40 pound dolphin is hard to handle that way.  Thinking shipping a cooler of fillets over might be the way to go.


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## fish hawk (Feb 17, 2015)

The FWC is out of control and generally a bunch of jerks.


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## Bama B (Feb 17, 2015)

This is why we stopped going a couple of years ago. FWC has made it were its not worth it anymore. Its sad.


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## humdandy (Feb 17, 2015)

This was a 3-4 years ago, but we brought everything back you can imagine.  

We unloaded the boat and I cleaned all the fish on the docks there in Miami, two wardens pulled up and spent 30 minutes talking to us.  Great guys!  We told them were the fish came from and he sat and watched us clean them.  Never once said a word about them........we had dolphin, snapper, hogfish, grouper, yellowtail, just to name a few......


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## swamp hunter (Feb 17, 2015)

If you fly over just pack your clothes in Coolers.
Fly home with frozen fish and ups or whatever they have back home.
If you go by boat...your on your own.
I use to take a boat from Marco Island to the Islands. 
We'd live aboard for 2 weeks or so. Big Freezers. Still FWC said 2 day limit . It was our house and still 2 day limit...after 2 weeks of solid fishing.


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## FREEDOM22 (Feb 17, 2015)

*yep*

I agree that it is totally ridiculous to try and keep big fish whole. Our entire fishery management has run out of common sense




mmcneil said:


> Thanks freedom,  I'm familiar with those regs.  It's just almost impossible to keep head and tail intact for two weeks. A 40 pound dolphin is hard to handle that way.  Thinking shipping a cooler of fillets over might be the way to go.


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## kingfish (Feb 18, 2015)

I've been doing it for over 20 years and never had a problem.  We pack soft coolers and use them to bring the fillets back.  90 % of them are mahi and we bring a vacuum sealer with us.  Never had an issue.  The customs guys in Port Orange actually recognize us, and that makes things easy.  This is fly in and fly out, no boats involved.


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## pottydoc (Feb 18, 2015)

A couple of things. Flying in and out is totally different than traveling by boat. By law, when you are traveling by boat, you have to bring all fish back hole to port. That is a Fl and a Bahamian law. If you are stopped you can be charged with a Lacy Act (Federal) violation.  It is rare that anyone is checked, and it seems most LEOs don't really enforce it, but it can and does happen. If you get charged with a Lacy act violation it can cost you major $$, well into the 10k and over  amounts. It's a bovine poo law, but it is still the law and it can cost folks a ton of money and hassle.


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## mmcneil (Feb 18, 2015)

We travel by boat.  We've been checked every time returning to Florida, and its never been a problem. Fwc, custom etc has never said anything about it.  Last year they did try, we got warnings.  Very stern warnings.  Two hours later we were let go and told we were in the system for life and this was our once in a life time free pass.


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2015)

Just to clarify:  You can fly the fillets back on a plane in a cooler with no issues but you cannot bring them back into the states on the boat - is this correct?


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## Scrapy (Feb 19, 2015)

mmcneil said:


> Anyone ever go over and fish for a few days then bring the dolphin, tuna etc back? We were told that grouper and snapper could be cleaned and frozen, but not dolphin.  We go over every year for a couple weeks.  Last year FWC checked us at the ramp and told us the pelagics have to be left whole. Two years ago custom agents checked the boat and told us the fish just had to be documented that it was caught in the bahamas via pictures and we were good to go.  It's  not practical and almost impossible to keep fish whole for that long.  Thanks



You talkin practical and possible in the same paragragh as regulation?


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## Bama B (Feb 20, 2015)

Yep there are different regs. For bringing back fish by personal boat and flying. The rules are not so bad if you run over for a couple of days. Fish will keep that long. If you plan on a weeks trip it is not worth the tickets.


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## mmcneil (Feb 20, 2015)

Is it practical no, possible yes.  Definitely not worth the chance.  Only thing on the boat will be snapper and grouper fillets, if that law hasn't changed from last year.


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## pottydoc (Feb 22, 2015)

Rob said:


> Just to clarify:  You can fly the fillets back on a plane in a cooler with no issues but you cannot bring them back into the states on the boat - is this correct?


Yes


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## KINCHAFooneeryan (Feb 23, 2015)

YOU FOLKS MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT THE SAMFC NEWSLETTER THAT CAME OUT TODAY!

http://safmc.net/sites/default/files/News Releases/pdf/2015_Winter_SAUpdate.pdf


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## pottydoc (Feb 28, 2015)

I knew that was in the works, but you still have to bring tuna back whole. They should have included them in the skin on part of the rule also. You still cant bring back conch at all, and lobster still has to be whole. They should make the by air or by sea parts the same also. for you guys saying you've never been checked, or that the LEOs didn't say anything, it only takes one being a jerk to ruin your trip. Especially if they charge you with a Lacy Act violation


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