There are still bonefish in Bimini. Doubtless, there are still lots and lots of bonefish. However… it is certain that there will be fewer bonefish than there used to be and the main culprit will certainly be Bimini Bay Resort.
You can’t dredge the flats, rip up the mangroves and fill in the tidal creeks and pretend it doesn’t matter… well… I guess you can… and there are plenty of folks out there willing to do just that.
This is the Before shot... go to the site to see the After... it ain't pretty.
Of course, the issue isn’t unique to Bimini… it is happening all over the bonefishing world (OK, not everywhere, but enough places to matter). It seems too many people want the Bahamian/Caribbean Dream and are willing to pave over and cut down anything they need to in order to get it.
Go to Bimini soon… who knows how it will fish in a decade or so.
- Unique Post
Bimini. Yes. As mentioned to you personally, in a not so gentle way, this is going on everywhere. I talked more than a bit about Schooner Bay, in the Abacos — a “green” development in the “island style”. With a dredged bay, for big boats, ripped mangroves , etc. As to he ultimate “green” ,:is to leave it alone to God and nature. It was what it was. As to the “island style”, other than being maids and maintenance people, I truly doubt the real islanders will see the inside of one of the “island style” places. Lots are in the $1,000,000+ range, as you know. As to the locals getting a new source of income, perhaps — however, I could review numbers of places in the Bahamas where the money returns to the owners and stockholders in UK and/or USA . And of course, always a good portion to the Bahamian Govt.
There is talk of limitinig the number of guide operations. As my kid would say, “Duh!”. Limiting competition is not bad for the first in. Finally, in many islands I know and have fished numerious times there is a direct relationship between construction and crime. The locals do not do much construction.
But, I as am not a stakeholder and my opinion is just an opinion about another place that might be lost. Just like Bimini.
ps I am not a tree hugger. I am a guy who had a real job, and one not so small. I love the American way. I fought for it in Viet Nam. However, someday we may realize that the American Way, or in this case, The British Way….may not be the island way.
ps To clarify “tree hugger”: I am concerned about the environment, and support such groups as Nature Conservancy, Roaring Fork (Colorado) Conservancy, Trout Unlimited and others. I do my part for preservation and put hands on efforts, some money and personal resources where my big mouth is. However, in this case, I refer to some who would stop all development, regardless of the value to people, and the potential to provide environmental support..
You are correct about Bimini and most people refer to that resort as the evil empire. On the other end of the spectrum is Schooner Bay in Abaco where I and my partners are in the process of building Black Fly Bonefish Club. I can tell you that not one single mangrove was ripped out or even moved. The harbor has been dug from land that was long since ruined by storms over the years from salt intrusion which created a dying swale. Not one truck of dirt has been brought in nor has one truckload of dirt been brought out of the property since day one. Schooner Bay has raised the bar for future development in the Bahamas and that development is one that I’m very proud to be part of. Black Fly dosen’t put it’s name on just anything unless it meets our standards and guidlines of quality. Please give Orjan Lindroth a call or go to their website http://www.schoonerbaybahamas.com if you want to understand what intelligent development looks like.