Atlantic Billfish Recreational Landings Update

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just released their preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish.  While many tournaments had not happened yet, we still believe that the recreational community will be well below our annual quota for billfish landed. Landings are compiled using self-reported angler reports from the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Non-Tournament Recreational Swordfish and Billfish Landings Database; tournament landings from the Atlantic Tournament Registration & Reporting  system; catch card reports from North Carolina and Maryland; and individual

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

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

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

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

Stricter Measures Not Included In NMFS Options For Longlines

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently issued a plan (Scoping Document, March 2018) to reinvigorate the longline fishery rather than proposing stricter conservation measures. If actions to reinvigorate the longline industry are approved, the seriously overfished Atlantic spawning bluefin tuna and marlin will continue to decline. Atlantic bluefin tuna and both white and blue marlin remain seriously overfished after decades of inadequate longline gear restraints, the gear responsible for much of the overfishing. The Billfish Foundation is calling for anglers and those in the recreational industry to submit comments to NMFS in opposition of a longline reinvigoration

NMFS Strives to Revitalize the Pelagic Longline Fishery – Why Not the Billfish Fishery?

The Billfish Foundation objects to the goal of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to revitalize the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery.  Instead, TBF is calling for options that continue to reduce marlin and bluefin bycatch in the PLL fishery, as well as options that revitalize the recreational billfish fishery. NMFS’ preferential treatment of the pelagic longline fishery comes at the expense of marlin, the recreational billfish fishery, and bluefin tuna. For one, aiming to reduce the regulatory burden on the PLL fishery while striving to reduce bycatch of Atlantic bluefin tuna are contradictory objectives. The severely overfished Atlantic bluefin

Longline Research In Closed Zone: Do the Math

Last year’s halting of the federally permitted longline research inside a zone closed to the gear for 16 years off Florida’s east coast was a positive step for conservation and productive sportfishing opportunities. Unfortunately, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is again considering authorizing the project. Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is not on the new application, but their scientist remains, this time with his newly incorporated business, Fisheries Solution, LLC. Do the math Here is a breakdown of the issues behind the longline project, why TBF opposes it and why you should too: The NMFS is fully aware