Spain Penalizes Its Anglers for Commercial Overfishing

Anglers from Spain are prohibited this year, as are their commercial fishing vessels, from landing Atlantic blue marlin because the nation’s commercial fishing vessels exceeded their 2015 blue marlin quota. Spain has never designated a portion of its blue marlin quota for its sportfishing industry, but allows that industry to be penalized for commercial overfishing. Spain further disregards its sportfishing industry by failing to collect and report landings data for recreationally caught marlin to all levels of government. Reporting landings data establishes a record of the amount of blue marlin a nation’s sportfishing industry depends upon to operate

Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition

TBF’s Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition, staged out of Port Eads, which is 84.5 miles south of New Orleans, 24 miles south of the southernmost road in the state and only 5 miles from the 100 fathom curve and deep water, was extremely exciting. Participants included TBF board members, scientists, members of the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club and the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club, charter boats and an array of billfishing constituents with boats from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.  TBF board chairman Scott Cooper, board member Johnny Dorland and president Ellen Peel, scientists

TBF’S JUNIOR ANGLER PROGRAM

Do you remember where, when, and what you used to catch the first fish that got you “hooked” on fishing? Who were you with and how did that singular experience get you more involved with fishing and conservation? 2016 is year of the Junior Angler for The Billfish Foundation and TBF is developing content for their Junior Angler Program and we would love for you to be a part of it. We want to get a first hand report on your most memorable fishing experience – not necessarily billfish related. We believe that many in the sportfishing community (and our

Black Marlin Study Needs Assistance off Central America in Pacific Waters

Sam Williams from the University of Queensland is collaborating with Dr Julian Pepperell in mapping the global genetics of black marlin. We greatly appreciate your assistance in collecting tissue for this research; a brief methodology has been described for sampling below.What we need: only require a small piece of fin or muscle tissue.  The tissue one has to be about the size of a finger nail (~2cm2).  If you can collect the tissue from either the end of the pectoral fin or middle of the caudal fin that is preferred as it does not affect the fish

Billfish Conservation Act Back on Capitol Hill

The Billfish Conservation Act, which was signed into law in October 2012 with the intent of prohibiting the sale of billfish or billfish products, has not yet been implemented by any regulatory agency in the U.S.  The sale of Atlantic billfish has been illegal since implementation of regulations in 1988, which “recognized the traditional fishing patterns of the Atlantic billfish fishery, which for the U.S., was entirely a recreational fishery.” The implemented prohibition on commercial fishing vessels selling or retaining Atlantic marlin, sailfish or spearfish plus species minimum size limits for the recreational fishery established what was determined

Tiger Sharks in Cutler Bay

COAST magnet program students at Cutler Bay Senior High School identify themselves as “Tiger Sharks” and focus their studies on marine and environmental conservation leading to responsible stewardship and sustainability of natural resources.  With benefit from previous visits to the school, Science and Policy Associate, Adrienne Katz, knew this group would identify with TBF’s conservation mission.  As expected, students under the guidance of teacher Marshall Ruffo were well informed and conversant on basic biological and morphological aspects of fish science and the importance of marine conservation. When emphasizing the importance of TBF’s tagging program and the role anglers serve

IATTC 2016 Meeting

Peter Chaibongsai, representing TBF at a meeting of the U.S. Advisory Committee to Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), an international organization with authority over highly migratory fish in the eastern Pacific Ocean, reviewed relevant fish science and provided advice for the U.S. team just prior to annual negotiations. The Committee’s review of yellowfin and bigeye tuna stock assessments learned both species are overfished, but overfishing is not continuing. Even so, the overfishing threshold is close.   (“Overfished” is when the abundance of fish in the water is lower than what scientists recommend is needed to produce sustainable yields each year.  “Overfishing”

Billfish Conservation Record Now Available – Analyzing 2014 data

The Billfish Foundation’s newest International Billfish Conservation Record is now available digitally! The Conservation Record includes the 2014 Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, summary of all tag, release & recapture data submitted for 2014, a breakdown of the species reported, maps of top tagging locations by species, and much more! TBF thanks our Tagging Program sponsors in 2014, Bisbee’s Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fund, Casa Vieja Lodge, Costa, King Sailfish Mounts, SIMRAD & Pelagic Gear, for their support in making this record possible. View the entire record by selecting the link from the image below

Our Florida Reefs – Anglers’ Angst

The three words “Our Florida Reefs” currently generate more angst with Florida anglers than most any others.  The reason, fear that all fishing in large swaths of state waters that include reef habitat between Stuart and Key Biscayne may be closed to all fishing; rumors say 20-30% of those waters. The good news is no decisions have been made; they will only be made after an extensive review process by higher levels of government officials.  The concerning news is the fact that recreational fishing and closed areas are two factors being considered within Recommended Management Actions. Recreational fishing is

Join the Satellite Tagging Expedition!

Be a Conservation Hero, Support TBF’s Satellite Tagging Expedition! Review the proposal to the right or contact us today to receive a copy by email or in the mail! [email protected]