The Billfish Foundation is pleased to announce that this year’s theme for our annual gala is Austin Powers – “The Spy Who Tagged Me.” Make sure to save the date and come dressed as your favorite character(s) for our gala & fundraiser, during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Friday, November 2, 2018 at the […]
The Billfish Foundation recently submitted comments against NOAA’s proposed Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) opening of the Cashes Ledge and Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) closed areas to commercial fishing. Currently, commercial vessels have opportunities to fish for haddock and pollock at many locations in the Gulf of Maine not subject to closure. The EFP should […]
NOVA Southeastern University Scientist and assistant professor, David W. Kerstetter, who received a federal Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) in 2017 to conduct longline research in Florida’s east coast closed zone, has submitted an application for a new EFP, but this time without including the university. In 2017, Dr. George L. Hanbury, NSU’s president, halted Kerstetter’s […]
The FMC is accepting public comment on its consideration of harvest specifications under an Exempted Fishing Permit for highly migratory fish caught by longline vessels fishing within the U.S. West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) “for limited testing, public display, data collection, exploratory, health and safety, environmental cleanup, and/or hazard removal purposes, the target or […]
Anglers from Spain are prohibited this year, as are their commercial fishing vessels, from landing Atlantic blue marlin because the nation’s commercial fishing vessels exceeded their 2015 blue marlin quota. Spain has never designated a portion of its blue marlin quota for its sportfishing industry, but allows that industry to be penalized for commercial overfishing. […]
The Billfish Conservation Act, which was signed into law in October 2012 with the intent of prohibiting the sale of billfish or billfish products, has not yet been implemented by any regulatory agency in the U.S. The sale of Atlantic billfish has been illegal since implementation of regulations in 1988, which “recognized the traditional fishing […]
COAST magnet program students at Cutler Bay Senior High School identify themselves as “Tiger Sharks” and focus their studies on marine and environmental conservation leading to responsible stewardship and sustainability of natural resources. With benefit from previous visits to the school, Science and Policy Associate, Adrienne Katz, knew this group would identify with TBF’s conservation […]
Peter Chaibongsai, representing TBF at a meeting of the U.S. Advisory Committee to Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), an international organization with authority over highly migratory fish in the eastern Pacific Ocean, reviewed relevant fish science and provided advice for the U.S. team just prior to annual negotiations. The Committee’s review of yellowfin and bigeye tuna […]
The three words “Our Florida Reefs” currently generate more angst with Florida anglers than most any others. The reason, fear that all fishing in large swaths of state waters that include reef habitat between Stuart and Key Biscayne may be closed to all fishing; rumors say 20-30% of those waters. The good news is no […]
The NMFS recently released its Discussion Draft Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Policy to serve as guiding principles for the agency’s decision making over the long term. NOAA defines EBFM “as a systematic approach to fisheries management in a geographically specified area that ensures the resilience and sustainability of the ecosystem; recognizes the physical, biological, economic, […]
