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
Aquaculture Atlases Issued
In support of Executive Order (EO) 13921, which calls for Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth, in May 2020, NOAA just issued two extensive tools that may be used to identify preliminary Aquaculture Opportunity Areas. One, “An Aquaculture Opportunity Area Atlas for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico” and the second one for the “Southern California Bite.” Completing and disseminating the Atlas is just one step of many in the early stages of a process that will eventually approve and site aquaculture sites in federal waters. Stay up-to-date on this and other related news by signing up for TBF’s newsletter
Workshop on December 7th regarding Offshore wind project impact
Input requested from anglers regarding potential impacts from offshore wind projects The Billfish Foundation just received word that The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is hosting the only workshop on December 7th at 10 am EST to understand and develop guidance to mitigate potential impacts from offshore wind projects on recreational fishing. They want to get insight and knowledge from the people and organizations that know and use these areas. Be sure to register since this will be one of your only chances to talk about this topic with the BOEM. Follow this link to Register for the workshop
Atlantic Mahi Mahi and Wahoo – Amendment 10
Anglers remain steadfast in objecting to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) approval of Amendment 10 as written. The amendment is now with the Secretary of Commerce for final approval is yet to be approved. Anglers and charter captains insist more is needed to ensure the two species will remain available for sportfishing, which are the backbone of the fishery. If the amendment isn’t modified to reduce the daily recreational bag and vessel limits (from 54 fish) and no approval of a commercial landing limit is included, many fear the stocks will collapse in a few years
ICCAT Update – November 2021
The member nations, including the U.S., of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the international treaty fishery management organization for Atlantic highly migratory species, approved a two-year prohibition on landing mako sharks. The U.S. will soon implement the prohibition. Whether this will add further to the Atlantic shark depredation of angler-caught fish is yet known. At the same recent ICCAT negotiations, an overall increase of 16% in the landing allocation (quota) for western Atlantic bluefin tuna was approved. The U.S. will be authorized to land an increase of between 4 to 5%. TBF continues
Atlantic Sharks Seem to Be Everywhere Anglers Fish
Daily reports and postings of angler-caught fish bitten into or taken whole by Atlantic sharks, known as depredation, painfully and clearly demonstrates the result of one-sided management, which has produced excessive numbers of sharks off the East, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts. The angler-hooked species taken by sharks range from sheepshead to marlin and occur with fish hooked from shore, piers, small boats, and large boats. It seems to anglers there is no balance in Atlantic shark management, all titled in favor of shark conservation. Any additional shark abundance will worsen the negative impacts to recreational fishing, the
TBF’s Billfish In Space Party was Out of This World!
The ‘supreme orbit’ for space creatures and space beauties was found at TBF’s Billfish in Space Gala, which rocked all night long! Definitely the hottest party during the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show. Bacardi libations kept the grooves smooth as guests were entertained by the music from the Men in Black and satiated with pleasures from the Marriott’s top chefs. Life Time Achievement Awards were presented to two individuals for their decades of commitment to fish conservation, advancing responsible fishing practices, and billfish science. Winners were: Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award – John Brownlee and winner of the Winthrop
