Closing a Loophole in the Billfish Conservation Act
The amended Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) passed Congress and was signed into law this month, August 2018. The amended BCA prohibits Pacific billfish landed in Hawaii and in the U.S. Pacific Insular Areas (Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) from being imported into the continental U.S., a loophole in the 2012 BCA. Neither the 2012 BCA nor the 2018 amended BCA prohibits the landing, possession or sale of Pacific billfish by U.S. commercial vessels as is prohibited for Atlantic billfish. Without prohibiting landings of Pacific billfish landed by U.S. commercial vessels, meaningful conservation benefits can only be
Sargassum Invasion
Weed, Weed – too much of a good thing? Offshore anglers know seeing and fishing a floating Sargassum weed line is a good thing for it they usually are very productive for catching dolphin fish and, if lucky, possibly a marlin. Sargassum is a brown-green microalga, or seaweed, which provides habitat for a significant variety of marine species, particularly juveniles seeking shelter from larger prey species. The structure of the Sargassum plant, includes a stem or stipe attached lateral branches with slender leaves and some have berry-like bladders that fill with air and provide buoyance. The weed plants often
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) Angling Category – Northern Area Trophy Fishery Closing
NOAA Fisheries will close the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery for large medium and giant “trophy” BFT (measuring 73” or greater) in the northern area effective 11:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 26, 2018, through December 31, 2018. The northern area is the area north of 39°18’N (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ). Note that the Angling category fishery for school, large school, or small medium bluefin tuna (27 to <73”) remains open in all areas except for the Gulf of Mexico, which is designated as bluefin tuna spawning grounds and where NOAA Fisheries does not allow targeted fishing for bluefin
Tag & Release Competition Update
Our annual Tag & Release competition is about 3/4 over and we will crown this year’s winners later this year at our Tag and Release Award Ceremony in February. We are highlighting the “Top Five” in many of the competition categories. This list constitutes the tag and release records processed by TBF as of July 16, 2018. We will post an updated version soon with the regional competitions. Do you know anyone on there? Are you in the top five and want to be recognized by the who’s who in the billfishing community at our ceremony? The end
Billfish Policy Update – July 2018
To keep you up to date and for your convenience, we have summarized some of the latest policies that effect billfish and our community. The Council recommended actions on: Keep up to date on all policy effecting billfish and other associated highly migratory species by signing up for TBF’s e-newsletter
Protect the Option to Incidentally catch & land a Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico
Over the past several years, the bluefin tuna (BFT) incidental bite in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) has picked up. Through the efforts of TBF, GOM anglers have an allocation of 1.5 metric tons or 3,306.93 pounds of Atlantic bluefin tunas, which permits the landing of a few good-size fish. (Only 1 per boat per year.) This year’s incidental bluefin tuna allocation for anglers in the Gulf of Mexico was met when a bluefin tuna was brought to the docks in Panama City, FL. Just a few days earlier two other big bluefin were landed off Venice, LA
Bill introduced to phase out large-mesh drift gillnets off California
The practice of allowing the U.S. west coast fishery to still use large mesh drift gillnets is insane. The fact that this method of fishing is still allowed shows how much influence the commercial fishing industry has with the federal fishery management council. Large mesh drift gillnets have been recognized as destructive for decades. The gear is not compatible with conservation, responsible fishery management or responsible use of public marine resources. This gear is already banned in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, as well as off many parts of the west coast. Additionally, the United States is a signatory to international agreements that ban large drift nets in international waters. So why are they still
Announcing TBF’s Annual Gala – 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 Harbor Beach Marriott. Join us and celebrate 32 years of billfish conservation while honoring those who have helped make TBF all it is today! Get your tickets today! Need a room at the gala? Click here for the our blocked off rooms
TBF submitted comments in opposition to EFP off the Gulf of Maine
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 not be issued to allow the commercial vessels inside the WGOM and Cashes Ledge Closed Areas where they will kill unacceptable levels of cod bycatch. Read our official comments
Why Are Billfish Threatened?
The Billfish Foundation was the result of a movement led by anglers who began noticing there were fewer big fish to catch. At the time, billfish tournaments featured piles of dead fish and commercial vessels sold billfish on the docks. Win Rockefeller, Dr. Eric Prince, and a group of 50 founding members recognized the unsustainable way billfish were being managed, in addition to the low priority they had with the government, and sought to protect these species through research, advocacy, and education. Today’s billfish tournaments look a lot different. Many release the fish that are caught, abiding to the
