“In the Bahamas, we have plenty of untouched, intacthabitat,” noted Justin. “We have a much healthier systemcompared to other countries that may have overfished theirwaters. That's why a lot of people come to the Bahamas, notonly for fishing but for diving as well. A big part of my job isidentifying key bonefish habitats so that we can help getthem protected. The focus is on how the fish utilize thehabitat opposed to the fish itself, because if you don't havethe habitat, you're not gonna have the fish.”Like any sport, bonefishing takes time and practice. It takes agreat deal of patience, and a day's success involves acombination of skill and luck. Many Bahamians and visitorsalike fall in love with the sport due to its serene nature - yousit on the calm Grand Bahama waters, quietly taking in thesights, sounds and smells of nature while waiting for abonefish to come into view. Then, it takes a bit of speed, skilland chance to quickly reel one in.Justin recommends getting a good pair of polarizedsunglasses. “Rather than looking at the water, which mostpeople do, you need to look through the water. You need tosee the bottom of the water. That's the way you're gonna seethe fish, because bonefish are called the ‘ghosts of the flats’for a reason. They have something in their skin cells calledchromatophores. They'll expand and contract and they canactually change color depending on the habitat they're in.”Unlike sustenance fishing, bonefish are caught and releasedback into the ocean, and it is vital to use the properequipment and follow a strict set of guidelines to ensure thatthe fish are not harmed during the process.“You are hunting on water. But, what's really unique aboutbonefishing is that it's all catch and release. That's how wemake it sustainable. It’s also important how you go aboutfishing. We did some research and looked at differentpractices for releasing the fish. We found that there's multiplesteps that will maximize survival post release.”Justin notes that it’s important never to grab a fish by the gillsor place the bonefish on a boat. “They're very sensitive toangling pressure. Also, use heavier barbs, 15 or 20 lbs, thatminimize handling time. And, the best thing to do is to leavethe fish in the water.”Formoredetailsaboutbonefishhandling,visitwww.bonefishtarpontrust.org/bonefish-handling/. To arrangea bonefishing trip while in The Bahamas, visitwww.grandbahamavacations.comGrand Life Magazine14
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