Fishing

916 0230) and Cayman Luxury Charters (Tel: (345) 938 2525) specialise in private boat charters. Alternatively, Six Senses Cayman Adventures (Tel: (345) 938 3303) offers a five hour, six stop eco-tour. Oh Boy Charters (Tel: (345) 949 6341 or (345) 926 0898) offers half and full-day fishing and/or snorkelling charters, as well as sunset dinner cruises. White Sand Watersports (Tel: (345) 938 7263) offers a daily sunrise Stingray City trip and North Sound tours. Y-Knot Charters (Tel: (345) 926 2224) offers half day and full day private, fishing and dive charters. Cayman Turtle Divers (Tel: (345) 938 0184) offers half and full-day, customisable dive and snorkel charters. Cayman Ferries (Tel: (345) 325 7777) runs a ferry service from Camana Bay to Rum Point and Kaibo and back. The 30-seat ferry leaves Camana Bay every 2-3 hours. Tickets must be booked using the ‘Cayman Ferries Passenger’ mobile app available on iOS and Android.

For something different, Action Watersports (Tel: (345) 548 3147) and The Sweet Spot (Tel: (345) 925 8129) offer jet ski Stingray City tours or you can rent a jet ski by the hour.

SAILING Sailing Charters If you would prefer a sailing boat tour, Surfside Charters (Tel: (345) 516 7873) offers luxury, private and custom charters. Trips can also include snorkelling, tubing and fishing.

Neil Galway of Sail Cayman (Tel: (345) 916 4333 or email: neil@sailcayman. com) is RYA Yacht Master Certified. Sail Cayman offers exclusive private sailing and powerboat charters for full or halfday charters.

Point Blue Sailing (Tel: (345) 925 7772 or www.pointbluesailing.ky) offers full or half-day snorkelling trips, with lunch and dinner options also available.

Red Sail Sports (Tel: (345) 623 5965) boasts a fleet of five 65’ luxury sailing catamarans. They also offer snorkelling trips along Seven Mile Beach. Ask about their resident discounts. Evening Sailing Evening sailing trips in Cayman are a pretty special experience and luckily there are a number of options available. Sail Cayman (Tel: (345) 916 4333) offers sunset sails seven days a week. Sail with Friends (Tel: (345) 548 8060) offers private trips on their 38ft catamaran. Their sunset tours are particularly special. Red Sail Sports (Tel: (345) 623 5965) offers several evening sailing options on one of their 65ft catamarans. Cruise the coastline on their popular Sunset Sail or dine onboard their Dinner Sail with food served fresh off the barbeque.

Sailing & Yacht Clubs If you are a keen sailor, you will want to

join the Cayman Islands Sailing Club (Tel: (345) 947 7913). Sailing lessons for adults and children are available throughout the year. Training rotations for kids and adult lessons are offered on their Hartley fleet and other dinghy fleets, as well as J22 lessons for the more advanced sailors who are interested in racing. There are also opportunities for those with their own larger sailboats, as the cruiser fleet arranges periodic races, rallies to the Sister Islands and Cuba, full moon sails and get together ‘sailaways’. The Sailing Club has a scenic clubhouse overlooking the North Sound and often hosts parties and socials. Various types of sailing boats can be rented by the hour, half or full-day and members get a discount. Email: admin@sailing.ky or coach@sailing.ky for information about their skipper course, learn-to-sail camps, school lessons, sponsorship and their sailing schedule. Visit www.sailing.ky for more information and rates. SEE AD PAGE 415 Another option is the George Town Yacht Club (GTYC) based at the Barcadere Marina at the end of North Sound Road in George Town. The GTYC includes a club house with a restaurant and bar, changing rooms with showers and lockers and a recreational pool for families and kids. Anyone can dock their boat right up to the restaurant and bar, which offers a casual ‘back porch’ dining experience. This family-friendly facility provides a full roster of events and activities, regularly attracting the larger public on weekends, and also serves as a popular private party venue. For more information email: info@barcadere.com or call (345) 949 3743.

FISHING

Fishing Trips & Tournaments Numerous companies also offer deep sea fishing trips, including Slackem Charters (Tel: (345) 326 4765) or Oh Boy Charters (Tel: (345) 949 6341), which offers deep sea or reef fishing. Other options include Captain Alfonso of White Rose Charters (Tel: (345) 929 8825) who offers bone, tarpon, reef and drift fishing. Finally, Captain Marvin’s (Tel: (345) 945 6975) will take you out fishing for marlin, wahoo, tuna and more. The cost for a chartered fishing vessel can run from US$700 (halfday) to US$2,000 (full-day).

Cayman’s annual fishing tournaments are hugely popular and greatly anticipated by residents and visitors alike. The Cayman Islands Angling Club, in conjunction with the Barcadere and other major sponsors put on numerous tournaments during the year, including the annual Cayman

Islands International Fishing Tournament, held every year in April or May. Visit www. fishcayman.com for more information.

Light Tackle Game Fishing Bonefish, tarpon and permit can be caught in all three islands, but Little Cayman is renowned for inshore gamefish and there are some spectacular fishing opportunities for those who are into the sport. Bonefish can be found on the ‘flats’; these are inshore waters that are typically shallow and covered in turtle grass. In many areas of Little Cayman you can find these flats right along the edge of the coastline. Bonefish are usually less than 12 pounds and they are known as the ‘grey ghost’ or ‘phantom’ fish. Pound for pound, bonefish are one of the fastest and strongest of all the salt water fish species. They are considered to be among the world’s premier gamefish and are highly sought after by anglers.

On the south side of Little Cayman, there is an inland pond that got its name ‘Tarpon Lake’ because it is packed with tarpon, otherwise known as ‘Silver King’. These particular fish (in Tarpon Lake) never seem to grow above 15 pounds, but they can be taken on the fly rod and with spinning tackle.

To access the fish in the lake, you will need a guide or a small boat because you need to row around; the bottom of the lake is not suitable for wading because the mud is deep, and the perimeter of the lake is a dense thicket of red mangrove. Early in the morning is the best time to go. If you get there shortly after sunrise, it is possible you may witness what is known as the ‘tarpon frenzy’: basically the Gambusia minnows (a small bait fish) get pinned against the edge of the pond by a large number of the tarpon, and the minnows are unable to shelter in the roots of the mangroves because hundreds of herons and egrets are waiting on the banks. The birds crowd the edge of the mangroves and strike at any minnows within reach. It is an awesome spectacle with a constant roar of tarpon hitting the surface as they gorge themselves on the bait fish. During this frenzy it is almost impossible to avoid catching a fish if you present the fly or lure anywhere even close to the action.

Fishing Restrictions Anyone can fish from the shore or from a boat in deep water but there are very strict rules on the size of fish you can catch and there are some fish you must immediately release if you catch one by mistake. Following these rules are extremely important. The rules are as follows: Jewfish (goliath grouper), tilefish (whities), filefish (pipers) and angelfish, including Grey, French and Queen angels (old monks) are protected and not allowed to be taken them from Cayman waters at any time.

Of the fish that you can catch, there is an 8” minimum size on all other species except goggle eyes, sprats (herrings, anchovies), silversides, anchovies and fries (including loggerhead and fine fry). However, there are different rules on Nassau groupers: There is a 16’’ minimum catch size throughout all of the Cayman Islands, year round, and no Nassau groupers can be caught using a speargun. Nassau Grouper cannot be taken from 1st December to 30th April. Outside of that time there is a catch limit of five (5) per person or five per boat per day, whichever is less. No one may take Nassau grouper from a Designated Grouper Spawning Area and no fishing (by line or speargun) can be done within a mile radius of a Designated Spawning Area. The same applies to fish pots. If you see any fishing taking place in or around a Grouper Spawning Area, please call 911 immediately and a police boat will be sent out to investigate.

Designated Grouper Spawning Areas In accordance with DoE regulations, the designated areas are: Coxswain Bank and South West Point in Grand Cayman; East and West End of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and the Twelve Mile Bank. We discourage you from catching or eating grouper as they have been over fished and the population has been severely depleted.

Licences For Fish Pots & Spearguns Fish pots and spearguns must be licensed by the National Conservation Council and only Caymanians over the age of 18 may be granted a licence. Spearfishing or laying a fish pot trap within a one mile radius of a designated conservation area, or from 1st November-31st March is prohibited. When entering the Cayman Islands, you must declare all spearguns. Email: doe@gov.ky or visit www.doe.ky for information.

Lionfish Hunts & Culling Licences Lionfish are an invasive species and a significant threat to our marine ecosystem. Lionfish consume the majority of small fish on a reef within a relatively small amount of time, and have no natural predators in the Caribbean Sea. Lionfish are extremely venomous; divers, snorkelers and fishermen can obtain training and a licence from the DoE to cull them. Do not attempt to catch one without proper training. For more information, contact the DoE on (345) 949 8469, email: doe@gov.ky or visit www.doe.ky/marine/ lionfish-invasive. See the Diving chapter for details.

MARINE RULES & REGULATIONS

You are obliged to familiarise yourself with the applicable boating, marine and environmental laws when using Cayman’s waters. These include catch and size limits, open and closed seasons and restrictions in each protected area. Breaches of the law are treated as serious offences and anyone committing an offence against the National Conservation Act and its regulations is liable to a fine, imprisonment, or both. Call (345) 949 8469 to report any offences.

The Department of Environment (DoE) has recently launched an app called ‘CaymanDoE’, which has up to date information and maps on Cayman’s Marine Parks and National Conservation laws and regulations. You can also visit www.doe.ky to download the marine parks map and for more information on Cayman’s marine and environmental laws. Boating and navigational laws can be found on the Port Authority’s website (www.caymanport.com).

Lobster, Conch & Other Catch Limits Lobster season is closed from 1st March30th November. Catch limits, per day, in open season are three per person or six per boat (two or more people), whichever is less. Lobster tails must be a minimum size of six inches and only spiny lobster (P. argus) can be taken. Conch season is closed from 1st May-31st October. Catch limits, per day, are five per person or 10 per boat (two or more people), whichever is less. Lobster and conch may never be taken from a marine protected area.

Whelk season is closed 1st May-31st October and the catch limit is two-anda-half gallons in the shell or two-and-ahalf pounds of processed whelks. Nassau

grouper closed season is 1st December30th April. During the open season the catch limit is five per person or five per boat per day, and only fish between 16 inches and 24 inches (inclusive) may be taken. No one may spear Nassau grouper. All of the above rules also apply to the purchase of lobster, conch, whelk or grouper caught in Cayman waters.

Echinoderms (starfish, sea eggs, urchins, sea cucumbers, sand dollars etc.) and elasmobranchs (sharks, stingrays, and other rays) may not be taken from Cayman waters at any time. No one may disturb, harass or harm turtles. Furthermore, no one may take turtles in Cayman without a licence. Possession of turtle eggs is prohibited.

No one may use food to attract any shark in Cayman waters. For a list of protected fish go to www.doe.ky.

Taking any marine life (alive or dead) while scuba diving is prohibited. Do not wear gloves while diving or snorkelling. Damaging coral in any manner is illegal. Marine Park Regulations & Anchoring Cayman’s Marine Parks were put in place in 1985. Due to environmental stressors, such as declining fish populations, reef degradation, climate change, rapid population growth and development, Marine Parks are extremely important for Cayman’s fish population to remain sustainable. In 2021, the Marine Parks in the Cayman Islands expanded to 48% on Grand Cayman, 43% on Cayman Brac and 57% on Little Cayman. You cannot take any marine life, whether alive or dead, within a Marine Park Zone. Line fishing from shore is permitted, as is line fishing at depths of 80ft or more. Taking fry and sprat with a fry or cast net is allowed. Note: fish traps, spear guns, pole spears and other nets are totally prohibited. No anchoring is permitted; only the use of fixed mooring is allowed. The exception to this is: boats of 60ft or less may anchor in sand, so long as no grappling hook is used and neither the anchor nor the rope or chain will impact coral. Anchoring is also permitted in designated port anchorage areas – contact Port Security on VHF channel 16. In Bloody Bay, Little Cayman, restrictions have been placed on the use of the Marine Park; no commercial operations may use it without a licence. Visit www.doe. ky for details.

Replenishment Zone Regulations In Replenishment Zones, line fishing and anchoring are permitted, as long as you do not damage coral. Boats must not impact coral in any way. Taking conch or lobster, and using spear guns, pole spears, fish traps and nets are prohibited.

Environmental Zone Regulations Restrictions in the Environmental Zone are strictly enforced and there are no exceptions. The rules are: no marine life, whether alive or dead, can be taken; no inwater activities are permitted; the public may only access at speeds of five mph or less; and there is no anchoring of any boat. Please note that line fishing, fish traps, nets and spear guns are strictly prohibited.

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