This summer, The Billfish Foundation attended two sportfishing premier events: the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament in Manteo, North Carolina and The MidAtlantic, held in Cape May, New Jersey, and Ocean City, Maryland.

Both tournaments are valued supporters of TBF. They also create important opportunities to connect anglers, tournament organizers, and marine scientists in support of billfish research and conservation.

Science at the Scales

TBF helps bring scientists from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to tournament docks. After landed fish are officially weighed, researchers collect biological samples, including tissue, fin spines, otoliths, gonads and stomach contents, that might otherwise be lost.

These samples help scientists study age and growth, genetics, reproductive biology, and diet. The resulting information expands our understanding of billfish populations and contributes to the science needed for responsible fisheries management.

The 35th MidAtlantic Makes History

The 2026 MidAtlantic brought a record 208 boats to Cape May and Ocean City for five days of competition and a tournament-record purse of $6,756,020.

Blue marlin delivered the week’s biggest story. Anglers caught a record 112 blue marlin, 107 of which were released, surpassing the tournament’s previous record of 68. The fleet also released 446 white marlin.

TBF was proud to be present at both tournament locations and is grateful to The MidAtlantic for its continued partnership and support.

Pirate’s Cove Continues Its Tradition of Excellence

Under the leadership of Tournament Director Lisa Howell, the hugely popular Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament continued its tradition of excellence in 2026. Lisa was supported by an outstanding team of assistants who helped keep the tournament running smoothly from start to finish, bringing energy, experience and plenty of teamwork to this year’s event.

Together, this dedicated team helped make the 2026 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament another memorable event for anglers, families, sponsors and friends of the tournament.

Overall, 449 billfish were caught, including 33 blue marlin, 42 white marlin, 373 sailfish, and one unidentified billfish.

Award winners included:

• Top Team: Tarheel, captained by John Bayliss
• Second Place Team: Builders Choice, captained by Brent Gaskill
• Top Angler: Paige Bayliss, Tarheel
• Top Female Angler: Holly McAlhany, Sweet Spot
• Top Junior Angler: McKenzie Gallaher, Watertight

During the tournament, TBF held an impressive raffle featuring a great selection of prizes, from paddleboards and speakers to coolers and apparel. Five lucky winners took home prizes, and TBF appreciates everyone who participated and supported the raffle.

Alice Kelly Memorial Billfish Tournament

The Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament followed the high-energy 37th Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament, which honors the memory of Alice Kelly and supports those affected by cancer.

The event attracted 164 boats and an impressive 977 anglers. Together, they caught 10 blue marlin, 14 white marlin and 145 sailfish.

Award winners included:

• Top Team: Game Changer – Aquaholics
• Top Angler: Danielle Berardi, Annie C – Ladies Unplugged
• Top Junior Angler: Mary-Renn Ash, Strokin

TBF is grateful to the organizers, volunteers, anglers, captains, crews, scientists and supporters who make these tournament partnerships possible. Their commitment allows excitement on the water to become meaningful scientific knowledge,and helps build a better future for billfish.

Cape Cod Bluewater Classic Supporting Conservation

The waters off Cape Cod produce exceptional billfishing, and the past two seasons have delivered truly memorable catches. From an estimated 900-pound blue marlin to dozens of white marlin releases, the Cape Cod Bluewater Classic (CCBC) has showcased the incredible billfish fishery found in the region.

Last year’s 2025 tournament saw an impressive 165 billfish caught. Speculator was the vessel that brought in the 900-lb blue, while tournament winner Lights Out released an incredible 47 white marlin.

The 2026 season continued that momentum, with 11 blue marlin caught during the CCBC, including several estimated at more than 500 pounds. Twin Reels took the blue marlin division with two releases, while Ghost Rider landed the tournament’s largest bigeye tuna at 211 pounds.

Beyond the exceptional fishing, the CCBC is helping turn these opportunities into opportunities for science. Working with The Billfish Foundation, the tournament established a new 115-inch blue marlin harvest division. Qualifying blue marlin specimens will be donated to one of TBF’s partners, the University of Maine, for research, thus providing researchers with valuable samples.

CCBC further supported TBF’s conservation efforts by donating to The Billfish Foundation’s research groundswell project, The Skillie Project. Partnerships like this demonstrate how anglers, tournaments, scientists, and conservation organizations can work together to enjoy exceptional fisheries while improving our understanding of the fish that make them so special.

Learn more about CCBC and sign up for next year’s event at https://www.obbclassic.com/.