THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS RESEARCH AND PERMITTING SYSTEM

Welcome to the one stop portal for Research Permits in The Bahamas. This portal allows you to apply for permits relevant to research in The Bahamas in one place. Please use the Applicant Checklist below to ensure that you have all the documents you will need before you apply. Please also read the Applicant Checklist and consult the online Guide for Applicants.

Applicant Checklist: Documents You Will Need to Upload

All Documents must be in PDF Format
  • ID/Passport (photo page)
  • Passport Photo (.png|.jpg) Bahamas/US size
  • Resume (CV)
  • Institution Legal Registration Document
  • Research Proposal (including full budget details)
  • Data Management Plan (normally from the research proposal)
  • Cruise Plan (ports of entry, exit and routes) (for marine research)
  • Questionnaire Samples (if applicable)
  • If transporting CITES material/specimens through The Bahamas you will require the original CITES permit from the material/ specimen country of origin
  • If importing or exporting any specimens, you may require import and export permits / certificates from the Department of Agriculture.

  • Biological resources
  • Genetic Resources
  • DNA / RNA extracts
  • Bio Chemical resources
  • Derivatives
  • Progeny
  • Traditional Knowledge
  • Digital Sequence Information and associated information

Institution Type of permit Relevance to ABS

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND PROTECTION (DEPP)

(Previously through the Dept. of Agriculture)

Terrestrial Marine Permit

Marine Research Permit

Relevant

Dept. of Marine Resources (DMR)

  1. Marine research permit.

  2. Permit to export marine mammals.

  3. Permit to capture and export shark for research.

Relevant

Bahamas National Trust (BNT)

Research permits within national parks boundaries.

BNT does not issue permits in the absence of DEPP permit.

Department of Agriculture (DoA)

CITES permits

Relevant. Again other relevant permits, ie. From DEPP or DMR should accompany the CITES permit.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Reviews marine research permits.

Review of marine scientific research permits in the territorial sea and archipelagic waters, in the exclusive economic zone (up 200 nautical miles from shore), and on the continental shelf (in some cases, beyond 200 nautical miles from shore).

The Port Department

Coastline activity and projects permits.

  1. Verifies the legality of vessels entering The Bahamas
  2. Request information on the vessel itself i.e. Crew number, size capabilities, length of stay etc.
  3. Request Information on the activities the vessel and crew will engage in while in The Bahamas

Forestry Unit

  1. Permit to harvest timber and non-timber forest produce.

  2. Permit to harvest a protected tree .

Issue permits which extend beyond harvesting as they engage in the creation of seed banks and other ex-situ collection formulations

Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation (AMMC)

Exploration and recovery permit.

 

Relevant as the use of the ancient DNA from human remains and ships is being sort after and they also issue permits for cave and blue holes exploration and the thus the biological specimens found within

Kindly ensure you pay the full amount to the correct institution bank account. If you will be paying using credit card please add the service (payment processing) fees to the permit fees. If the permit fees is not received in FULL, you will be forced to top up the balance for your permit application to processed.
BD 3,000.00
BD 5,000.00
Researchers BD 1,500.00
Foreign students (Undergraduate) BD 400.00
Foreign students (Graduate) BD 700.00
Bahamian students (international) BD 300.00
Bahamian students (local) BD 50.00

Kindly ensure you pay the full amount to the correct institution bank account. If you will be paying using credit card please add the service (payment processing) fees to the permit fees. If the permit fees is not received in FULL, you will be forced to top up the balance for your permit application to processed.
ANTIQUITIES, MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS CORPORATION BD 56.00
BAHAMAS NATIONAL TRUST BD 82.50
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND PROTECTION BD 125.00
DEPT. OF MARINE RESOURCES (DMR) BD 55.00
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (DOA) BD 11.20