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
New Fishing Gear Used off California
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recommended and the NMFS authorized a single Exempted Fishing Permit for testing a new gear – Modified Snap – in federal waters off California. The gear, a significantly modified longline, will fish 5 nautical miles of horizontal line, which is much shorter than traditional longlines. To help improve the survivability of bycatch species, the PFMC requires a four-hour maximum soak time, per set. TBF is not convinced the gear will actually fish cleaner. The gear is comprised of connected sections of line, each ranging from 300 to 500 meters in length, that will
Publication from North Carolina State Questions Atlantic Blue Marlin Post Release Survival
A science paper published in the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, written by E. Houck et al., from North Carolina State University in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Center for Marine Science & Technology, raised questions whether skeletal injuries caused by recreational fishing tackle could decrease post-release survival in Atlantic blue marlin. Skeletal injuries in the jaw area of 6 blue marlin caught with artificial lures and J-hooks and landed in the 2019 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament were examined. The conclusion, it was “suspected” that the hook injuries to the jaw had little impact on post-release
Announcing TBF’s Holiday Fundraising Event!
Following the overwhelming success of our Virtual Gala in 2020, we knew that we couldn’t return to a solely in-person event in 2021. That’s why we are so excited to announce our first ever Holiday Fundraising Event! For two weeks, you’ll have the chance to win incredible prizes while supporting billfish conservation from the comfort of your own home. We hope you’re excited for this brand new event, it’s going to be one for the books! The event will kick off on Monday, November 15th with the opening of our Virtual Holiday Auction. For one week, you’ll have the
TBF Welcomes New Board Members
Pat Healey, of Ocean City, NJ is President and CEO of Viking Yachts, a family-owned and operated bat manufacturer occupying 1 million square feet in New Greta and Mullica, N.J. Pat’s father Bill and uncle Bob found Viking in 1964 with a commitment to “build a better boat every day,” a philosophy that still guides the company today. Pat began his career at Viking at the age of 10 and has worked in every phase of boatbuilding. He became President and CEO in 2014 as Viking celebrated its 5th anniversary, guiding the growth of its industry-leading sportfishing fleet. He is
Tag Card Completion Guide
The Tag & Release Program is the cornerstone conservation program of The Billfish Foundation. Created in 1990, it was established to remedy the large gaps in knowledge of billfish life history. As a result, it has created the largest private billfish tagging database in the world, with over 270,000 records. The Tag & Release Program relies on Captains, anglers, and mates across the world to tag, release, and recapture billfish. It is a global citizen science effort that relies on the collective dedication of thousands of participants. However, it is not enough just to tag or release
Attend TBF’s Space-themed Gala this month!
The Billfish Foundation’s Annual Gala is almost here! Join us at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale on October 29th at 6 pm for an out-of-this-world Space-themed event. The night will kick off with a cocktail hour featuring a silent auction and raffles. Then, we’ll head into the ballroom for dinner, a live auction, and a special awards ceremony where we’ll honor this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award Winners! Plus, we’ll crown a winner for our space-themed costume contest, so show up in your best galactic gear! The 2021 Gala is brought to you by Garmin, Willis
Changes Coming for Anglers on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna?
Currently, the NMFS is considering making many changes to the fishery management plan for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) – Bluefin Tuna. Redistributing tonnage allocations to each managed Fishing Category, including the Angling Category, and modifying fishing areas are two of the potentially most impacting options. The Incidental recreational bluefin allocation of trophy-size fish in the Gulf of Mexico, which averages between 5-8 fish a season depending on weight, is most at risk since the Gulf of Mexico is a spawning ground. Though, spawning ground concerns seem to be dismissed in another option, which could authorize permitted Atlantic longline
2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients Announced
We at The Billfish Foundation are pleased to announced the winners of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. The award is named in honor of a former board member and pioneer in billfish conservation, who founded the Sailfish Conservation Club, the Masters Angling Tournament, the Tournament of Champions and the Gold Cup to raise funds for conservation. With his brothers, Emil and Tommy, the family business developed the first offshore sportfishing boat equipped with a tower, outriggers, fighting chair, transom door and big engines. This year’s recipient: JOHN BROWNLEE is a former TBF board member having served as
Tag & Release Competition Update
Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of September 10, 2021. This is the final rankings update before the competition ends. If a category is missing, it’s because there haven’t been enough fish to qualify. The competition runs through October 31, 2021 and all entries must be in by November 15, 2021. Please remember that you are only eligible to receive an award if you are an active member of The Billfish Foundation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. To purchase
