Fishing on Bonaire

Most of the fishes you hear about on Bonaire are the reef fish which snorkelers and SCUBA divers see regularly. But, in the deeper water lurk the big game fish–Marlin, Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna and more.

Game fishing.

Fishermen: welcome to the waters of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire!

Local fishermen catch the “Fresh Fish of the Day” that you find in almost every restaurant. Usually, the fish is Dorado or Wahoo. Dorado is also known as Mahi Mahi or dolphinfish (no relation at all to the porpoise family). You can try your skill and luck on one of the several sport fishing boats available for charter trips on Bonaire. Check prices carefully for fishing trips. A trip price may seem quite high because the price is usually for the whole boat, not per person. If you have several interested friends, trips can be quite reasonable.

Fishing, as anywhere, starts in the wee hours before dawn. The fishermen catch bait fish with hand lines or small nets. The live bait fish are then used to try for the big game fish. A large range of fishing tackle and lures are available, so if the fish aren’t biting you can try something new. The sport fishing boats may go out several miles in search of the game fish. Although catching a fish is never guaranteed, a pleasant day out to sea will be part of your fishing experience. Check out Piscatur for big game fishing.

Most fishing by visitors is sports fishing, with a catch-and-release policy. Please note that Marlin fishing is only catch-and-release due to the shrinking fish stocks. The fish that you release today will continue to reproduce for the future. Although you may keep your catch on most boats, confirm this with the boat captain prior to making your reservation. Also, fresh fish, as like most meats, cannot be imported into many countries including Holland and the USA. It is also against Bonaire law for any non-resident to profit from fishing so you are not allowed to “sell” your catch either. Fishing licenses are not required for non-commercial fishing.

Snorkel fishing.

Snorkel fishing is only allowed in two areas on Bonaire, as noted by the areas marked in green on the maps below.

Names of local fish

All fish names are supplied by local fishermen. Special thanks to Ellen Muller and Papi Anton for collecting and sorting the local fishes’ names in Papiamentu. Note that some Bonaire fishermen may call these fish by other names, and many fish have other local names even on our sister islands.

Pacific Lionfish

And finally, it must be mentioned that the island is trying to control the invasive Pacific Lionfish, a predatory fish expanding territories within the Caribbean. Check with your dive operator to see if they offer a lionfish hunting course. Once you have caught your lionfish, try out some of the recipes provided by InfoBonaire readers on ideas for how to best prepare them!

Fishing tournaments

Bonaire also hosts a number of local and International fishing tournaments during the year, with catches recorded, tagged, and then released back into the sea for future tournaments. The edible species are generally donated to various charitable organizations.