Fishing Balsa Ownership

[Heythere]

I sport fish off Santo Domingo and Boca Chica.

My questions who places the fishing balsas (F.A.D.'s Fish Attracting Devices) in the sea? Do they have a legal right to say that they are private? Can they bring legal action against a person who fishes around them ? Etc.


I know that sometimes sport boats - launchas occassionally have conflicts while on the water with yoleros who claim that the balsas are "private".

[Hillbilly]

They are nobody's really.

However, how would you feel if you set up a nice duck blind and in the middle of the season somebody came and used it??

Remember, the yoleros eat off of the results of their fishing. The launch owners don't...

HB

[Chris]

I think you will find that those were placed there by a community organization trying to improve fishing in the area. They are not Fish Attracting Devices, but rather Fish Aggregating Devices and there is a huge difference. The idea is that the little fish go under there for shade, the big fish follow the little fish and the fisher'folk' catch the big ones, and the little ones are left to breed and replenish the stocks.

So, if you're not involved with the effort, please don't catch fish there - and educate other launch owners when you can. The FADs are not there for occasional sports fishermen to use.

[Capt. Rob57]

Having had two boats here one in monte cristi and now one in santo domingo and having fished around these for many years last week was my first bad experience. Yes, they are private however, when i see no boat fishing them i will fish them,when i see i local will ask permission offer them a beer or coke or sandwich. have helped them rebuild them also. i was fishing with my brother and nephew who are here on vacation along with a friend of mine who just happens to be a navy general. this idiot came up on our boat we had lines out fishing slammed into the side of my boat starting yelling that he was the owner now he has his rights i do not doubt that. the next day he put, a restraining order on me so i could not use my boat. he runs into my boat so now i am having him investigated by LAW you must carry ins. on your boat i have full coverage he had no name on the boat no numbers. i was in the wrong but hey. i have since just re did my boat registrations to include fishing,diving etc. and am joining the assocs. of fishermen that way i can do what ever i want and no one can btch.