Bahamas

“Hawaiian sling” means a device made of wood, or other suitable material, designed for the discharge of a missile under water by the force of a sling of rubber; ... “prohibited apparatus” means — (a) a device, other than a snorkel, designed to enable a person to breathe whilst under water; (b) a device, other than an Hawaiian sling, designed to discharge a missile under water; “snorkel” means a tube enabling a person whose face is beneath the surface of the water to breathe the air directly from the atmosphere and not assisted by a compressor;

6. No person shall use any spearfishing apparatus to fish — (a) within one mile of the coast at low water mark of New Providence; or (b) within one mile of the southern coast at low water mark of Freeport, Grand Bahama; or (c) within two hundred yards of the coast at low water mark of any other Family Island.

9. No person shall organize or engage in a spearfishing tournament or competition within the exclusive fishery zone.

10. No person shall use, or have in his possession with intent to use, for fishing within the exclusive fishery zone any prohibited apparatus.

73. A person desirous of using during the period 1st August to 31st March a prohibited apparatus that is commonly known as an air compressor at a depth of not less than thirty feet nor more than sixty feet, may make application to the Minister in Form 3 in the First Schedule for a permit authorising such use and upon the issue thereof the prescribed fee shall be payable.

48. (1) In sportsfishing the following rules apply — (a) a person shall fish by the traditional method of angling with a hook or lure attached to a line held in the hand or attached to a pole, rod or reel; (b) a person, unless otherwise authorised by the respective permit, shall not use a spear, a fish trap, or a net other than a landing net; (c) each vessel shall use not more than 6 rods or reels unless the operator is in possession of a permit authorising the use of more rods or reels; (d) any migratory fishery resource (such as Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna or Wahoo) that is caught shall not in total exceed 18 fish aboard the vessel at any time; (e) any Billfish (such as Marlin, Sailfish or Swordfish) caught shall be returned to the sea unharmed except where landed under the terms of an approved sportsfishing event or tournament; and (f) no vessel shall have on board at any time — (i) turtle; (ii) conchs, exceeding 6; (iii) crawfish, exceeding 10; or (iv) other demersal fishery resources exceeding 60 pounds or 20 fish.

16. There shall be an annual closed season for crawfish extending from 1st April to 31st July (inclusive).

18. No person shall take, have in his possession or sell any crawfish which measures less than three and one-quarter inches from the base of the horns to the end of the jacket or which, if the tail is severed, has a tail measurement of less than five and one-half inches, not including any protruding muscle.

35. (1) No person shall take, buy or sell any fish commonly known as grouper or rockfish that weighs less than three pounds. ... (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), no person shall take, land, process, sell or offer for sale any fish commonly known as “the Nassau Grouper” during the closed season, except where such taking or landing is carried out with the written approval of the Director of Fisheries for scientific research purposes. (4) For the purposes of regulation 35, “closed season” means the period commencing on the 1st day of December in any year and ending on the 28th February of the immediate succeeding year.

37. There shall be an annual closed season for stone crab extending from 1st June to 15th October (inclusive). ... 39. No person shall take, have in his possession, buy or sell any stone crab the claw of which measures less than four inches in length.

Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is a NO TAKE ZONE: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering – nothing living or dead may be removed from within the boundaries of Exuma Park. There are fines and confiscation of vessels for poaching violations.