Recent Atlantic Shark Management News – Amendment 14

Capitol Hill must act as Atlantic sharks are everywhere taking angler-hooked fish, not occasionally, but all the time. The NMFS has no plans to check the occurrence other than to provide information material to the recreational fishery on “how to avoid sharks while fishing.” That should be very interesting. And they will host workshops to help captains and anglers to learn how to identify the offending sharks. Identity isn’t crucial, it is stopping the practice by reinvigorating the shark fishery and markets. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel met on Feb. 11, 2022

NMFS Science for Closed Zones is Questionable

In September 2021, an article published in Marine Biology, Journal of Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters, was distributed by the NMFS as a paper and computer model that might be used as a possible decision-making tool for determining whether to open Closed Zones off East and Gulf of Mexico coasts. This model  called the “Highly Migratory Species Predictive Spatial Modeling (PRiSM) would be an analytical framework for assessing the performance of spatial fisheries management.” A review of the paper identified flaws that should preclude the application of this PRISM model to any Closed Zone Decisions. The paper presented

TBF Welcomes Boaters List as a New Tag & Release Sponsor!

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is excited to announce that Boaters List, out of San Antonio, Texas, is a new sponsor of TBF’s cornerstone program, our Tag and Release program.  Widely recognized for its success, The Billfish Foundation’s Tag and Release Program is renowned worldwide by those in the billfish community who want to ensure the future of the sport. Anglers report the billfish they tag and release and assist TBF and our scientists gather data about the fish. “Boaters List launched with a driven mission, first and foremost, to build a community of like-minded boaters and water enthusiasts.  The

TBF’s 2022 Artist of the Year

For over 40 years of my life, I never considered myself an artist. I didn’t take art classes, grab a pencil and paper and sketch didn’t paint or want to until I learned about Gyotaku (fish printing). Moving to Maui, Hawaii 30 years ago introduced me to fish printing and had a profound effect on me. My love for the ocean and its creatures has been with me since I can remember. I grew up surfing in Southern California and oddly enough didn’t do much fishing, but I’ve always needed to be near the ocean.  It took over

Exempted Fishing Permits for East Coast Deep-Set Buoy Gear

NMFS issued 7 Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) for vessels to fish for BAYS tunas (bigeye, yellowfin albacore, skipjack) and swordfish in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Atlantic East Coast.  Six vessels are part of the Deepwater Horizon Pelagic Longline Bycatch Reduction Project; using funds from Gulf Restoration, oil spill settlement. The 6 vessels fishing only in the Gulf are pelagic longline vessels that voluntarily do not fish for 6 months a year because they are paid from Restoration funds. Gear options include deep-set buoy gear or greenstick gear. The vessel that also fishes off Florida’s East

TBF’s Atlantic Shark Depredation Campaign

No balance currently exists between the hugely successful Atlantic shark conservation and management of Atlantic shark fisheries –  people fishing, jobs, food markets, experiences, and economics.  Balance is needed. Shark depredation of angler-hooked fish from all platforms is occurring at unseen rates. Sharks damage gear, ruins fishing experiences, and causes negative economic impacts to the fishery and associated services. It is no longer safe to swim between boats, as sometimes needed for a crew member to help with a companion vessel’s problem.  Shark depredation will lessen only when fewer sharks remain in the water, which can be achieved

Atlantic Save the Mahi-Mahi Campaign

Led by Blair Wickstrom of Florida Sportsmans Magazine, targets the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (FMC) and NOAA, and calls for, by anglers, greater conservation restraints for mahi-mahi and wahoo, species that support South Florida’s sportfishing industry.  Without further constraints, it is feared the stock may collapse. The Campaign calls for further reductions in mahi-mahi (dolphin fish) and wahoo bag limits from what was approved recently in Amendment 10. If final approval is given by the Secretary of Commerce to Amendment 10, it leaves the 10 mahi-mahi per person limit in place but drops the vessel limit from 60

TBF’s Atlantic Shark Fishery Comments

The Billfish Foundation submitted comments to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today on the Draft Review of Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE) urging the revitalization of the Atlantic shark fishery and market. This 217-page reference document recounts past and present management actions responsible for the status of today’s U.S. Atlantic shark fishery. This document may be used to develop future conservation and management measures for commercial and recreational shark fisheries for the 43 currently managed and after review, we feel that without significant changes to the document we at are not supportive of it for future management actions

Announcing the 2021 Tag & Release Award Winners

Each year The Billfish Foundation recognizes the best of the best in the billfishing community to acknowledge the significant effort they contribute to our Tag & Release Program and billfish conservation. Since its inception in 1990, the program has accrued over 270,000 tag and release records, becoming the largest private billfish tagging database in the world. In the last year alone, TBF has collected over 7,500 records! The information gathered through tag and release efforts are invaluable to increase our understanding and better our management of billfish and preserve the sport we love. This is only possible through the efforts

A Fish Conservation Business Opportunity Available

King Sailfish Mounts began nearly 30 years ago allowing sportsmen have a beautiful fish mount while knowing that they didn’t need to kill their trophy fish for it.  Before King Sailfish Mounts, nearly all marine gamefish mounted were based on a dead fish. It turned out to have been a good opportunity both for the business and the resource.  Now the majority of all marine fish mounts are based on a release. Since then, KSM has been credited for coining the phrase “Release Mounts” and is considered one of the most influential companies in its industry. They have