Photo Courtesy of Chris Van Leeuwen
The Offshore World Championship and The Billfish Foundation announced a partnership to advance billfish science last month. The project, including OWC, The Billfish Foundation, Marina Pez Vela, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), the Presidential Challenge of Central America, Costa Sunglasses, King Sailfish Mounts and the Bonnier Corporation called upon tournament anglers and crews during this year’s event to tag & collect valuable billfish data. With the incredible volume of sailfish found off Quepos, Costa Rica during the past few seasons, coupled with many of the world’s best offshore anglers fishing the OWC, the opportunity to tag billfish & collect data needed for improved conservation is a natural fit for all partners.
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Clark
The tagging project provided 350 tags and a number of tag sticks to angler’s pre- fishing the Offshore World Championship to properly tag billfish and submit their tag reports to the staff of Marina Pez Vela. The tagging contributions made by the OWC anglers will be showcased via TBF’s website and other social media. We hear the first day had a record release number and are eager to hear the tournament results. The total tags have not been tallied yet, but TBF cannot wait to see them and continue this partnership in the future!