Guide Report

8/8/2019 Guide Report

1/141

Convened by: The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation

Facilitated by: The Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance

Held at: Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort, Nassau, Bahamas on October 16, 2009

B a h a m a s

F l a t s F i s h i n g

G u i d e C e r t i f i c a t i o n W o r k s h o P


2/14

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND :! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 3STRATEGY:! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 4AGE ND A: !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 5COMPONE NTS OF A CE RTIF ICATION PRO GRAM:! ! ! 6

A N G L I N G S K I L L S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 7 C O N S E R V A T I O N E X P E R T I S E! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8 B U S I N E S S T O O L S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 10 B A H A M I A N ST U D I E S! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 11

IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTIF ICATION:! ! ! ! ! 12E CONOMICS AND SCIE NCE : ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 13GE NE RAL RE COMME ND ATIONS:! ! ! ! ! ! 14


3/14

3

BACKGROUND

The first iteration of a Certification Program for Bahamian flats fishing guides was developed over a

decade ago, and a number of individuals participated in that program and were certified as

professional guides. Over recent years, however, momentum for that program has waned and there

became an increasing realization that e!orts were needed to modernize the program to make it

more relevant to todays flats fishing community. Early on in the process of updating this program,

it was recognized that it would be important to obtain input from the professional guide

community into what components were needed to ensure that a high quality program was

developed. To accomplish that task, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviations Department of

Sustainable Tourism, under the direction of Earlston McPhee and Benjamin Pratt, and with

assistance from The Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance, organized a workshop designed to bring

interested stakeholders (e.g., guides, lodge owners, conservation organizations, etc.) together for

discussion and input. Announcements for the meeting were distributed throughout The Bahamas

via the network of Tourism o"ces throughout Nassau and the Family Islands. This workshop was

held at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. The meeting was facilitated by a

team of scientists from The Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance, which is a joint e!ort of the Bahamas

National Trust, the Bonefish Tarpon Trust, and the Fisheries Conservation Foundation.

The Bahamas National Trust(www.bnt.bs), established by an Actof Parliament in 1959, is mandated with the conservation ofnatural and historic resources of The Bahamas. The BNT is theonly known non-governmental organization in the world with themandate to manage a country's entire national park system.

The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (www.tarbone.org), founded in1998, is a membership-based organization consisting ofrecreational anglers, guides, and marine industry leadersdedicated to increasing global e!orts to conserve bonefish,

tarpon, permit, and other flats species.

The Fisheries Conservation Foundation (www.fishconserve.org),founded in 2004, works to ensure that objective, peer-reviewedscientific information about fisheries and aquatic resourcesreaches policy-makers and the public, so that decisionsconcerning our aquatic resources are logical, informed, and basedon the principles of sustainability.
http://www.bnt.bs/http://www.tarbone.org/http://www.fishconserve.org/http://www.fishconserve.org/http://www.fishconserve.org/http://www.tarbone.org/http://www.tarbone.org/http://www.bnt.bs/http://www.bnt.bs/


4/14

4

STRATEGY

It was determined that to maximize both attendance and input, the workshop would offer participants

the following opportunities:

1. Participate in revising The Bahamian Guide Certification Program,

2. Provide input on the best ways to implement such a program,

3. Identify flats conservation needs for The Bahamas and opportunities to address them,

4. Get updates on a variety of important scientific and economic projects.

Furthermore, to accomplish the above and to increase the effectiveness of the group, it was decided to

use a combination of breakout groups and group summary/discussion sessions, along with some

general fact-finding discussions mixed with formal presentations of the scientific and economic studies.

After a general welcome of the participants and introductions to the days events by Benjamin Pratt of

Tourism, Earlston McPhee introduced the plenary speaker, The Honorable Lawrence Cartwright, Minister

of Agriculture and Marine Resources, who opened the workshop by reiterating the need for coordination

among all stakeholders in the conservation arena and emphasizing the key role that flats fishing guides

play in the Bahamian economy and conservation movement. He inspired the entire group to put in effort

into making the workshop a success. At that point, Dr. David Philipp, Chair of the Facilitation Team,

reviewed the agenda, outlined the planned activities, and explained the rules for the workshop.


5/14

5

9:00! Welcome and Introduction (Benjamin Pratt)9:05! Introduction of Minister (Earlston McPhee)9:10! The Hon. Lawrence Cartwright, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources9:20! Introduction of Facilitation Team (David Philipp)9:25! Guide Certification Program Objectives (David Philipp)9:35! Small Group Sessions10:45! Small Group Reports11:50! Break for LunchNoon:! Lunch: Presentation by Dr. Tony Fedler on the Economic Value of Flats Fishing in the Bahama*Senator The Honorable Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, in attendance

1:20! Implementation of Certification Program & Future Opportunities (Entire Group)2:10! Next Steps for Certification Program Development (Entire Group)2:20! Spawning Research on Eleuthera & Andros (Vanessa Haley)2:40! Best Handling Practices Research (Andy Danylchuk)3:00! Adjourn

AGENDA

The facilitation team, which was organized bu the Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance, consisted of

scientists and educators well versed in bonefishing and the ecology of Bahamian flats ecosystems:

Dr. David P. Philipp (Executive Director of the Fisheries Conservation Foundation)

Dr. Aaron Adams (Executive Director of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust)

Ms Vanessa Haley (Bahamas National Trust)

Dr. Andy Danylchuk (University of Massachusetts)

Mr. Je!rey Koppelman (Chair, FCF Advisory Council)

Mr. Je!rey Stein (University of Illinois)

Mr. Chris Haak (University of Massachusetts)

Dr. Bridgette Rolle (Ministry of Tourism)

Dr. Tony Fedler (Fedler and Associates)

Ms Catherine Booker (Community Conch)


6/14

6

COMPONENTS OF A CERT IF ICATION PROGRAM

Four general discussion topics were established to ensure coverage of all issues and components

associated with the potential content of a Flats Fishing Guide Certification Program:

I. Angling SkillsII. Conservation Expertise

III. Business Tools

IV. Bahamian Studies

From there, participants divided into four smaller breakout groups by self-selecting which of the four

topical discussions they wished to join. Two members of the facilitation team led and recorded the

breakout discussions.

After 1.5 hours, the groups came back together in a singe plenary session in which each group presented

their findings/recommendations, and the entire group of participants added to that report as needed. In

this way, every participant was able to have input on all aspects of each discussion topic.

The following are summary recommendations from the workshop for each of the four topics covered in

the breakout groups. When a duplicate recommendation occurred across topic groups, it was assigned to

the most appropriate group.


7/14

7

I. ANGLING SKILLS

This group identified what it felt were the most important skills and abilities for all guides to have, and what

knowledge they needed to possess. The following items were identified as essential for the educational

curriculum for the certification program.

# Basic knots and how to tie them focusing on those important for flyfishing

# Di!erent components of fishing equipment and how to check/maintain them

# Basic boat handling techniques, including running outboards and polling/positioning ski!s

# Techniques for finding fish, including direct sighting and reading the water

# Ability to assess standard fish weights

# Identifying important flies, including knowing how they are tied

# Ability to share technical knowledge with anglers and other guides

#

Ability to use social skills to deal with di"

cult clients in an amiable way

In addition, there were some advanced skills that were identified as desirable:

# Fly tying expertise

# Ability to teach anglers how to improve their casting techniques

# Ability to teach anglers how to improve their methods for working the fly

# Ability to teach anglers how to improve their methods for playing/landing fish

There were two further recommendations coming from this breakout group:

1. Although certain knowledge can be taught and assessed in a classroom, other skills (e.g., casting,

hooking, and landing skills, fish finding methods, and boat handling techniques) should be obtainedthrough training received from senior guides and assessed (for certification) by observations in the field

by senior guides/anglers. It was emphasized that to become proficient in the many skills associated with

guiding, individuals need to put in substantial time on the job; this level of expertise cannot be gained

from a 35 day course. True novices who want to get started in the business could require substantial

training, even including an apprenticeship.

2. Basic skills associated with angling and guiding

should start to be taught in the Bahamian public

school system, with age-appropriate material being

introduced through the curricula associated with

various grade levels. This action will ensure that

younger generations of Bahamians gain the

knowledge learned by the flats fishing professional

community over the years. It was acknowledged,

however, that this would require a long-term

commitment from the educational system.



8/14

8


II. CONSERVATION EXPERTISE

The group identified the following aspects of both an educational curriculum and an assessmentcomponent of the certification program:

$ Basic biology of the bonefish, tarpon, and permit

%Life history

%Spawning behaviors and locations

%Food habits

%Age and growth information

$ General ecology of the flats ecosystem

%Identification of common plants and animals

%Predators and prey on the flats

$ Best handling practices for catch-and-release, including how to:

%Minimize landing time

%Reduce air exposure

%Revive a fish that has lost equilibrium

%Protect a fish from predators

$ The di!erent sources of flats habitat destruction and how to explain them to clients

%Pollution including improper garbage and chemical disposal methods

%Dredging both in the coastal mangrove forests and in deeper patch reef areas

%Coastal construction for private dwellings and resorts

%Flow restriction of creeks that prevent fish passage up tidal creek systems

$ Environmentally sound Green behavior/practices emphasize/practice recycling%Preventing boat chemical spills (e.g., gas, oil, transmission fluid, etc.)

%Correct disposal of fishing line and lures

%Correct disposal of personal garbage, including plastic, cans, bottles

$ Fishing Regulations

%Size and bag limits for target species (bonefish, tarpon, and permit)

%Seasonal regulations of all species of fin fish and shellfish

% Ban on netting in flats habitats because it targets bonefish and small tarpon%

% Prevention of netting in other areas because it results in bycatch of bonefish%

%Special regulations associated with Marine Protected Areas

$ Educate clients about conservation activities and needs in The Bahamas

%How to correct bad behavior of clients in an acceptable way%How to educate clients on key conservation issues within The Bahamas


9/14

9


II. CONSERVATION EXPERTISE (continued)

In addition, this group provided a variety of perspectives on how to implement a certification program in

a way that is acceptable to all by taking into account the following points:

# Guides who have been in the business for a lengthy period of time (e.g., 20, 30+ years) need to

be identified on each island and grandfathered into certification.

# It needs to be recognized that experienced guides will need less training than newer guides, who

would need much less training than novices.

# Program flexibility needs to be provided so that employment opportunities for a guide attending

certification activities are impacted minimally.

#A standard full training course could last five days, but experienced guides may need a morestreamlined program perhaps even an on-line program.

# For novices interested in learning how to become a guide, an apprentice/mentor program needs

to be developed across the various family islands.

# Training programs should start in high school (or before) as part of the public school curriculum.

# There should be a mechanism developed for continuing education, including technology transfer

among guides, biologists, and government.


10/14

10


III. BUSINESS TOOLS

The group identified a number of specific needs for certification in this area, organized into two major classesEstablish a formal set of high service standards requiring:

Accepted level of quality, appearance, safety, etc. for

required equipment

Participation in the Bahamahost program

First Aid and CPR training

Liability insurance

Business license

Captains license

Boat inspection, including viable communication

device(s)

Small motor maintenance skills

High level of professionalism in business (code of ethics)

Develop skills, provide training, and o!er resources that promote high quality business operations, including:

E!ective communication strategies via website, email, and marketing

Knowledge of the industry and its organization

Financial management, including how to obtain access to capital

Ability to create a business plan

Time management skills

Marketing skills

Personal image and branding

Knowledge on how to access and use business resources

Knowledge on duty-free opportunities

Managed by the NationalBahamahost Association,the Bahamahost programpromotes professionalism,pride and education inhospitality fields to ensurea proper welcome to

visitors. The training familiarizes allparticipants with correct and accurate

information on the countrys history,geography, civics, economics, culture,flora, fauna and places of interest.Additional emphasis is placed onattitudinal training, teamwork andcooperation.


11/14

11


IV. BAHAMIAN STUDIES

It was recognized that the role of Bahamian flats fishing guides transcended the

act of just putting anglers on fish and helping anglers catch them. They are also

ambassadors of The Bahamas, and as such, need a knowledge set that goes

above and beyond angling skills. Specifically, guides need to have a working

knowledge of the following topics as they relate to The Bahamas:

1. Bahamian history

2. History of fishing in general, but also specifics on flyfishing the flats of

The Bahamas

3. Bahamian government (local and national structure political parties and o"cials)

4. Economics local, national, and international; revenue sources for government

5. Bahamian culture, including things specific to their home island (e.g., religion, food, music, drinks)

6. Climate, especially as it pertains to fishing seasonal e!ects, stress on fish, etc.

7. Bahamian geography and geology

8. Flora and fauna of the islands and the flats specifically

9. Information regarding the tourist industry as a whole

Bottom Line: Guides should develop and promote a Bahamian brand so that anglers across the globe

consider The Bahamas as the first choice for a bonefishing trip anywhere in the world.


12/14

12

IMPLEMENTATION OF CERT IF ICATION

During the Breakout Group sessions, each group also developed the following list of objectives for any

certification process that would be developed within The Bahamas. That is, a high quality and effective

certification program would:

# Establish a high service standard for certified guides in The Bahamas.

# Recognize those guides that have met some minimum set of skills.

# Provide educational resources for current guides.

# Provide a training mechanism for future guides.

# Promote The Bahamas as a premier flats fishing destination.

# Serve as an organizational focus for flats conservation action.

It was recognized that a successful certification program would:

! Require full support by the guides themselves, along with the recognition that a well-run business

benefits everyone in the industry and The Bahamas as a whole.

! Require strong partnership and support of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation through active

participation in the development, implementation, and long-range marketing and promotion of the

Certification Program.

! Serve as a strong marketing tool to attract additional and more substantive business from abroad.

! Demonstrate that effective promotion of certified guide services in The Bahamas will generate increased

revenue to the industry.

A general discussion was had regarding implementation concerns, reiterating many of the points brought up

earlier within the individual breakout group sessions. They are summarized below:

Although certain knowledge can be taught and assessed in a classroom, other skills (e.g., casting,

hooking, and landing skills; fish finding methods; and boat handling techniques) should be obtainedthrough training received from senior guides and assessed (for certification) by observations in the field

senior guides/anglers.

Basic skills associated with angling and guiding should be taught in the Bahamian public school system,

with age-appropriate material being introduced through the curricula associated with various grade leve

This will ensure that younger generations of Bahamians gain the knowledge learned by the flats fishing

industry over many years, as well as conservation training.

Guides who have been in the business for some lengthy period of time (e.g., 20, 30+ years) need to be

identified on each island and grandfathered into certification.

It needs to be recognized that some senior guides will need less training than some more junior ones, w

would need much less training than some novices. Program flexibility needs to be provided so that

employment opportunities are impacted minimally

A standard full training course could last five days, but senior guides may need a more streamlined

program perhaps even an on-line program

For untrained persons interested in learning how to become a guide, an apprentice/mentor program nee

to be developed across the various family islands.

Training programs should start in high school (or before) as part of the public school curriculum.

There should be a mechanism developed for continuing education, technology transfer among guides,

biologists, and government, perhaps on each of the main family islands.

Plans for a re-certification process should be developed soon as well with a cycle of about five years.


13/14

13

There were also three formal presentations during the program:

1. An update on a project funded by the Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance report on The Economic

Impact of Flats Fishing to the Bahamian Economy, presented by Dr. Tony Fedler from Fedler and

Associates, Gainesville, FL. This presentation was attended by Senator The Hon. Vincent

Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, who also delivered some well-spoken words

of encouragement to the group.

2. An update on the Best Handling Practices for Catch-and-Release Angling for Bonefish, presented by

Dr. Andy Danylchuk from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

3. A summary of two projects studying the Spawning Dynamics of Bonefish at Cape Eleuthera and in

Andros, presented by Ms. Vanessa Haley from the BNT.

There was a great deal of interest in these presentations, as evidenced by the tremendous amount of

questions and discussion generated by each of them.

Finally, there was a lengthy plenary discussion concerning conservation needs, which reintroduced many

issues brought up within the breakout groups. This discussion, concerning how to move forward with

regard to addressing those conservation needs, provided the following suggestions:

! There needs to be a forum within which guides, anglers, lodge owners, conservation groups, and

other interested parties can get together to discuss conservation problems in an e!ort to develop

real solutions to them and to identify how these solutions can be implemented. Establishing a

grassroots coalition of stakeholders was suggested as the best possible mechanism.

! There is a continuing need for information exchange among guides, lodge owners, anglers,

scientists and policy makers similar to the scientific presentations and the discussion thatcentered around identifying the conservation challenges in The Bahamas. There was consensus

agreement that a science/angling/conservation symposium focusing on bonefish in The Bahamas

should be held in Nassau during the 2010 o!season.

The Bahamian Flats Fishing Alliance (BFFA) has already begun steps to implement both recommendations.

ECONOMICS AND SCIENCE: THE ROAD TO CONSERVATION


14/14

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Next steps for the Bahamian Guide Certification Program recommended by the

BFFA Facilitation Team:

1. Contract with outside person or group (intimately familiar with flyfishing for bonefish,

guiding and lodge activity, and bonefish biology) to finish editing the written certification

curriculum documents.

2. Use that set of documents to develop 1-, 3-, and 5-day programS for certification training to

accommodate individuals with different experience levels.

3. Develop a system for delivery of the curriculum to guides throughout the family islands.

4. Develop methods for assessing candidate guides for certification, including written (or oral)

testing on some aspects, as well as field assessment by senior anglers/guides for certain skill

sets.

5. Propose a mechanism for establishing an apprentice/mentor program for recruiting and

developing young people into the guiding profession.

6. Propose a mechanism for developing age-specific curricula that provides an education/

training program for budding guides within the Bahamian public school system.

7. Develop a marketing strategy that promotes the Bahamian Guide Certification Program as a

worthy activity within The Bahamas.

8. Develop a marketing strategy that would provide the international angling community a

reason for choosing The Bahamas as a fishing destination over other possible places around

the world.

Documents

Guide Report