Flats fishing guides in the Turks and Caicos Islands now have access to their first-ever formal training standard, following the launch of the Turks and Caicos National Saltwater Flats Fishing Guide Certification in early September 2026.
The Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association (TCFFA) established the programme alongside the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association, with backing from the UK Government’s Biodiversity Challenge Funds through the Darwin Plus Programme. Blending classroom lessons with practical on-the-water training, the curriculum prepares veteran guides as instructors alongside novice guides. Certified graduates earn credentials through the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) Blue Economy Initiative Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme. Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, noted that conservation and prosperity can reinforce one another when approached responsibly.
TCFFA is now seeking funding for a second cohort aimed specifically at young people in South Caicos and the other Sister Islands, with interested organisations invited to contact comms@tcffa.info.