Bahamas fishing permit on a charter boat: who needs one, bag limits and what you can catch
Bahamas fishing permit for charter guests: needed on a foreign-owned boat, not on a Bahamian-owned one. Bag limits, flats rules, spearfishing. Sourced.
Fishing licence needed?
Depends on the boat
Only on a foreign-owned boat; flats need a personal licence
Source: Government of The Bahamas, checked
Catch limit
Per vessel: 18 pelagics, 10 lobster, 6 conch, demersals 60 lb or 20 fish
Source: Government of The Bahamas, checked
Checked
28 Oct 2026
4 official, 2 secondary sources
It depends on the boat: a foreign-owned yacht needs a Bahamas sport fishing permit, while guests on a Bahamian-owned charter boat need no permit but must keep to the visitor bag limits (per vessel: 18 pelagic fish, 10 lobster in season, 6 conch, and 60 lb or 20 demersal fish). We do not quote a permit price, because official Bahamian pages give conflicting amounts and conflicting instructions on where to get the permit, so confirm the fee with Bahamas Customs or the Department of Marine Resources before you go.
Important: We do not give a price for the Bahamas sport fishing permit. Official Bahamian pages list different fees. The fishing FAQ on bahamas.com, the official tourism site, also says online pre-registration is preferred, but that the permit cannot be bought online and must be obtained at the port of entry. Confirm the fee and the process with Bahamas Customs or the Department of Marine Resources before you go.
Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 4 official sources and 2 secondary sources (sources). Anything we could not confirm is labelled (how to read the labels). Rules change: check with the authority or your charter company before you fish.
Do I need a fishing licence on a charter in the Bahamas?
Licence needed: Only on a foreign-owned boat; flats need a personal licence.
Issued by: Department of Marine Resources / Bahamas Customs at port of entry (Government of The Bahamas).
Cost: not stated. We do not give a price for the Bahamas sport fishing permit. Official Bahamian pages list different fees. The fishing FAQ on bahamas.com, the official tourism site, also says online pre-registration is preferred, but that the permit cannot be bought online and must be obtained at the port of entry. Confirm the fee and the process with Bahamas Customs or the Department of Marine Resources before you go.
Valid for: 30 days or annual (see conflict)
Needed only for a foreign (non-Bahamian-owned) vessel.
On a Bahamian-owned charter boat guests need no permit, but visitor bag limits still apply.
Contradiction on bahamas.com: online pre-registration (Click2Clear) is 'preferred', yet the same page says the permit cannot be obtained online and must be obtained at the port of entry.
Flats: every angler over 12 needs a licence; a Bahamian certified guide is required if 2+ anglers fish the flats from a vessel; only Bahamian-registered vessels may fish the flats.
This is a fishing licence. To skipper the yacht yourself you need a sailing licence or résumé, which is a different document: sailing licence requirements in the Bahamas.
What can I catch in the Bahamas?
| Species | Scientific name | How it is caught | Best months | IUCN status | Endemic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahoo | Acanthocybium solandri | high-speed trolling | Nov–Feb (Bimini) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Mahi-mahi | Coryphaena hippurus | trolling | Apr–Jun (Bimini) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Blue marlin | Makaira nigricans | trolling — release mandatory | Apr–Jul (Bimini) (guide) | Vulnerable (VU) | No |
| Atlantic bluefin tuna | Thunnus thynnus | big game | May (Bimini) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Bonefish | Albula vulpes | flats/fly, guide required | Oct–Jun best; year-round (guide) | Near Threatened (NT) | No |
| Nassau grouper | Epinephelus striatus | bottom fishing | Not verified | Critically Endangered (CR) | No |
| Tarpon | Megalops atlanticus | flats | Not verified | Vulnerable (VU) | No |
| Cobia | Rachycentron canadum | flats/sight casting | Not verified | Least Concern (LC) | No |
Notes on these species (local rules and FishBase):
- Nassau grouper: IUCN CR. Seasonal closure not verified.
Threatened on the IUCN Red List (global): Blue marlin (VU), Nassau grouper (CR), Tarpon (VU). Best months are from fishing guides (secondary sources); IUCN status from FishBase (how to read the labels).
Catch limits and fishing rules
- Per licensed foreign vessel: 18 pelagics (dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, tuna); 10 lobster (in season); 6 conch (flared lip); demersals 60 lb or 20 fish
- Max 6 rods in use; more than 6 needs a $10,000/yr permit; electric reels allowed
- No scuba or compressor for fishing
- Billfish must be released (except in approved tournaments); sharks protected since 2011 and must be released
- Bonefish: no limit, catch & release encouraged
Where to fish from a charter yacht
- Bimini: wahoo, marlin, bluefin, bonefish. Source: visitbimini.org (secondary).
- Andros / Tongue of the Ocean: bonefish; marlin and wahoo. Source: oneoutdoors.org, angleradventures.com (secondary).
- Abacos: wahoo and reef fish Nov–May. Source: secondary.
- Exumas: flats year-round (avoid the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park). Source: secondary.
Spots are suggestions from fishing guides and operators unless an official text is named. Check protected areas before you anchor to fish.
Protected areas and no-take zones
- [Not verified] Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (no-take) — not verified
- [Not verified] Bahamas National Trust marine parks — not verified
Spearfishing rules
- Spear: Hawaiian sling or pole spear only, endorsed on the permit; spearguns banned; spearfishing banned within 1 mile of New Providence and the south coast of Grand Bahama, and within 200 yards of any Out Island
On a charter yacht: what guests need to know
Guests on a Bahamian-owned charter boat need no permit, but per-vessel bag limits apply. A foreign-flagged or owned yacht needs the sport fishing permit. Flats fishing needs a personal licence and, for 2+ anglers from a vessel, a Bahamian guide. Avoid September–October offshore because of hurricane season (secondary source).
Ask who owns the boat. On a Bahamian-owned charter boat guests need no permit; on a foreign-owned yacht the boat needs the sport fishing permit. Confirm the fee with Bahamas Customs before you sail: we do not publish one.
Planning the trip around the fish? See the best time to charter in the Bahamas, month by month, and the Bahamas charter overview.
See boats in the Bahamas
See catamarans for rent in the Bahamas on SamBoat
Fishing rules apply whoever you book with; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure).
What we could not verify
- Sport fishing permit fee (official pages conflict)
- Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (no-take) — not verified
- Bahamas National Trust marine parks — not verified
- Best months for Nassau grouper, Tarpon, Cobia
How to read the labels
- [Secondary source]: From a non-government source (guide, club, operator or news); not official.
- [Not confirmed in the official text]: An official rule we could only read in a search summary, because we could not open the official text.
- [Not verified]: We could not confirm it.
- No label: Read in an official source (government, statutory body or the legal text).
Best months come from fishing guides and charter operators (secondary sources), not from regulators: treat them as a guide. IUCN status is the species' global Red List category as FishBase shows it (Red List 2025-2), not a local fishing rule. "Endemic" means FishBase gives a range limited to one sea; "No" means FishBase shows a wide distribution.
Sources
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (bahamas.com): bahamas.com Fishing FAQ (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Government of The Bahamas: Gov – Sport Fishing Permit (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Bahamas Customs: Bahamas Customs – Other taxes (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Resorts World Bimini (hosts the regulations PDF): DMR Sportsfishing Regulations PDF (via rwbimini.com) (official text, hosted by a third party), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Visit Bimini: Visit Bimini month by month (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Visit Bimini: Page cited for best months by species (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- FishBase species summaries (reference database, IUCN status as shown, Red List 2025-2), checked 28 Oct 2026: Acanthocybium solandri, Coryphaena hippurus, Makaira nigricans, Thunnus thynnus, Albula vulpes, Epinephelus striatus, Megalops atlanticus, Rachycentron canadum.
Method: methodology. Data: JSON.
More on fishing and the Bahamas
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing licence on a charter yacht in the Bahamas?
It depends on the boat: a foreign-owned yacht needs a Bahamas sport fishing permit, while guests on a Bahamian-owned charter boat need no permit but must keep to the visitor bag limits (per vessel: 18 pelagic fish, 10 lobster in season, 6 conch, and 60 lb or 20 demersal fish). We do not quote a permit price, because official Bahamian pages give conflicting amounts and conflicting instructions on where to get the permit, so confirm the fee with Bahamas Customs or the Department of Marine Resources before you go.
How much does a fishing licence cost in the Bahamas?
We do not give a price for the Bahamas sport fishing permit. Official Bahamian pages list different fees. The fishing FAQ on bahamas.com, the official tourism site, also says online pre-registration is preferred, but that the permit cannot be bought online and must be obtained at the port of entry. Confirm the fee and the process with Bahamas Customs or the Department of Marine Resources before you go.
What fish can you catch in the Bahamas?
Common targets include wahoo, mahi-mahi, blue marlin, Atlantic bluefin tuna, bonefish. Local rules: Nassau grouper: iUCN CR. Seasonal closure not verified.
Can you spearfish in the Bahamas?
Spear: Hawaiian sling or pole spear only, endorsed on the permit; spearguns banned; spearfishing banned within 1 mile of New Providence and the south coast of Grand Bahama, and within 200 yards of any Out Island