Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Week at Andros South

Learn about me, catch me, and help those who are helping me.

Photo: rustychinnisimages.com

We are pleased to announce a special Bonefish and Tarpon Trust week at Andros South this December. Guests will have the opportunity to learn from the leading minds in the bonefishing world, and a donation will be made on behalf of each guest to support completion of a key study by BTT on the economic value of The Bahamas’ recreational fishery for bonefish – a key to a long-term commitment to conservation in the Bahamas.

Here’s the rundown!

The week is December 5 – 12, 2009, and costs $4150 per angler.
$1000 per angler goes to support the BTT’s economic value study.
Aaron Adams and Stu Apte from BTT will be on site to conduct research and spend time with guests.

Here are the details on the program. We’ll first cover the good that will be done in the BTT’s economic value study. Then we’ll cover the fun that our guests will have with the BTT crew!

BTT Economic Value Study

Goal:

To determine the economic value of the recreational bonefish fishery in The Bahamas

Approach:

Economists will conduct interviews with lodge owners, guides, hotel managers, and guide associations to obtain estimates of economic expenditures involving recreational fishing for bonefish. Economists will also obtain data from The Bahamas Ministries of Tourism, Agriculture and Marine Resources, and Environment. This study is being conducted in 2009 – 2010. Data will be analyzed and summarized in a final report in February 2010. This report will be made available to the public and presented to The Bahamas government.

Impact:

Quantifying the economic importance of the recreational bonefish fishery should provide leverage for improving conservation measures toward protecting healthy bonefish populations in The Bahamas. In Belize, for example, a similar study found that the ecotourism-related expenditures for recreational fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit exceeded $50 million per year. Based on this study the Belize Legislature passed legislation making bonefish, tarpon, and permit catch and release gamefish. We anticipate that the economic value in The Bahamas to be much greater, and to spur strong conservation measures.

This is a really important cause, and the time to support it is now.

BTT Week at Andros South Program Overview

Guests will receive our normal 7 night / 6 day bonefishing package, which includes single occupancy lodging, guided fishing with two anglers per boat, all food and drinks including alcohol and transfers on South Andros Island.

Stu Apte will be at the lodge during the week to share stories of his life in angling, and of course to fish!

Aaron Adams, BTT’s Executive Director, will also be on site at the lodge during the week to continue his research on bonefish, and to share some of BTT’s knowledge with guests during the week.

Aaron will give two evening presentations to guests in attendance.