Antigua Boarder and Customs

Hi. Following up on the prior post re: Antigua, we are chartering in Antigua later this week. I've got two questions:

1) Fishing license: The charter company says we don't need one. My own research seems to indicate that the fisheries department requires a recreational sport fishing license - $100 for 3 months. Does anyone know for sure? We will predominantly be trolling a few lines off the back of the boat and maybe some bottom fishing while at anchor. If we do need one, is the fisheries department in St. John open on the weekends?

2) Offshore Fishing and Customs clearance - Charter company claims that if we go offshore 10 miles or more we need to clear back into customs upon returning. That seems a bit strange. Do I need to clear out first? It would seem odd to show up at customs to clear in after a 6 hour fishing trip.

Thoughts?

We are heading to Antigua in May...what'd you learn about your questions? We've been in touch with the fisheries department, but it's still unclear what license is required, if any. It seems as though the recreational sport fishing license is for foreign flagged vessels that plan to visit, but not charter boats. I've also been unable to locate a regulations document that shows where off-limits areas are, etc.

How was the fishing? Did you get offshore to Barbuda?

Is the the 10 mile offshore part true?

I just arrived in Antigua, I'm in Falmouth Harbour. If you don't get an answer here, I'll be meeting my local friends tonight and one of them runs a commercial fishing boat here and should be able to give a qualified answer. I know that the charter fishing boats (the big go-fast ones) go further than 10 miles out in order to get to the drop-off and they certainly don't clear in and out each time. But their commercial licensing might give them an exception, if such a law/rule actually exists.

We are chartering out of Antigua in a couple of months one way to St. Martin and want to drag a couple of lines whenever we're sailing. I tried to check on the government website for each island to see what the regulations are, but they are less than clear so I decided to email the charter company. According to the charter representative we will not need a fishing license for any of the islands we will be transiting - which include Antigua/Barbuda, St. Barths, St. Martin. There are marine reserves at least at St. Martin and I think probably the other two islands where you are not allowed to fish, or at minimum would require a license. FWIW, we were also informed that spear fishing is not allowed in Antigua.

The above said, I am watching this thread too see if Zanshin comes back with the same information that I received from the charter company.

I'm in Antigua now, but haven't talked about fishing with my friends (I have to admit, I forgot about it and just now saw this thread again). Almost all of St. Barths is declared a nature preserve and much of St. Martin is as well. These areas are well-marked on the charts and also have yellow buoys demarking the borders. On a rhumb line from Antigua to St. Barths there are some wonderful shallows for fishing, because I always see fishing boats out there and also a lot of fish pots. It is about 35 miles to St. Barths, and 35 back to Antigua.