The Billfish Foundation is proud to be a beneficiary of tournaments that support billfish conservation, whether that means limiting billfish to catch and release only or harvesting only a minimal number of fish that are then used for research, as billfish hard parts are vital for us to learn more about the lives of these […]
All non-longline swordfish fisheries are required to use handgear – handline, harpoon, commercial rod and reel, green-stick and bandit gear. Handgear takes far less bycatch than does pelagic longline gear, much of the time it takes none making the fisheries cleaner and sustainable. Increasing landing limits to these fisheries makes sense, whereas allowing pelagic longlines […]
Representatives from The Billfish Foundation attended a recent meeting with NOAA in which a swordfish retention expansion was discussed in the Caribbean. This proposed expansion applies to vessels in USVI and Puerto Rico with an (HMS) Commercial Caribbean Small Boat (CCSB) permit, Swordfish General Commercial permit, or HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial endorsement on […]
NOAA Fisheries is doubling the number of swordfish allowed to be harvested by commercial fisheries. These expanded retention limits apply to vessels issued a Swordfish General Commercial permit or an Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial endorsement when on a non-for-hire trip. Fortunately, commercial swordfish harvest is still prohibited in the Florida Swordfish Management […]
For years, members of the sportfishing community have felt that scientists and fisheries managers should consult those on the water and in the industry when making decisions. Our community is able to “see” firsthand what is happening and can provide valuable input. Our latest Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean Program Intern, Briana Gibbs, performed an […]
Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of May 28, 2020. If a category is missing, it’s because there haven’t been enough fish to qualify. The competition runs through October 31, 2020 and all entries must be in by November 15. […]
The Northern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Trophy Fishery will officially close as of 11:30pm on May 21, 2020. It will remain closed for the remainder of 2020. This closure comes as a result of the Angling Category reaching its 1.8 mt quota of North Atlantic trophy bluefin. The Northern Atlantic is the area above […]
NOAA Fisheries announced landings updates for Atlantic swordfish, billfish, and tunas, including bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, and albacore. This update include all landings between January 1st and March 31st of 2020. Billfish: The 250-fish recreational Atlantic billfish quota includes landings of blue marlin, white marlin, and roundscale spearfish. As of March 31, 2020, no Atlantic […]
2019 was an enormous year for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Program. We received over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records for billfish and tunas. These data are used by researchers and management organizations across the globe, helping us learn more about these great fish and how best to conserve them. Below […]
