STATE FLUSHES POLLUTED WATER ONTO EAST COAST REEFS BUT CORAL REEF INITIATIVE TARGETS RECREATIONAL FISHING
The South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI), coordinated under Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, momentum is driven by a tax exempt organization 501 (c) (3) – Friends of Our Florida Reefs (FOFR), founded in 2015. The non-profit makes prominent the words “Our Florida Reefs” as a mantra for its movement to support and enhance the state’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (FDEP CRCP). Florida Statute 112.3251 identifies such an organization as a citizens’ support group (CSG), which can raise money for its organizational needs, but it also can raise funds to help
THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2016 RYBOVICH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS
For Immediate Release – May 4, 2016 Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA – Today, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the world’s leading sportfishing conservation organization for marlin, sailfish, spearfish and associated highly migratory fish, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary and is announcing the winners of its prestigious Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award – Captain Kelvin “Red” Bailey, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Captain Ernie Foster, Hatteras, North Carolina and Bonnie Powell, Brandon, Florida. The Award is named in honor of the late John Rybovich, a pioneer in billfish conservation and sportfishing vessel design. Award presentations will be
DAILY TRIP LIMIT ADJUSTMENTS FOR ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA ANGLING CATEGORY
Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service April 20, 2016 Today National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces adjustments to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits that apply to vessels permitted in the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category and the HMS Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally for BFT) effective April 23, 2016, through December 31, 2016, as follows: In deciding these retention limits, NMFS considered the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, which include available quota, fishery performance in recent years, availability of BFT on the fishing grounds, and the effects of the adjustment on the stock and on accomplishing the
ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA TROPHY ANGLING CATEGORY SOUTH AREA CLOSED
Effective as of 11:30 p.m. (EST), April 10, 2016 the Angling category for large medium and giant “trophy” bluefin tuna (73” or greater) in the southern area (see image below) has been closed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the remainder of 2016. The southern area is the area south of 39°18’N (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ), not including the Gulf of Mexico. Any bluefin tuna caught by recreational anglers in the southern area must be released. This applies to all HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels in the southern area. Bluefin angling regions. South area
HMS AP & ICCAT UPDATES – MARCH 2016
The Billfish Foundation regularly represents recreational interests and discusses issues surrounding management of billfish and tuna here in US Atlantic waters. This past month, a number of important topics including regulations for both commercial and recreational fishing, new research findings, potential regulations and research needs were all discussed at two separate meetings; the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel and the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). A diverse group of participants from various sectors (academia, government, commercial and recreational) bring different perspectives, knowledge and experiences to the table, and together are vital in working towards
INTRODUCING TWO NEW REGIONAL COMPETITIONS!
Due to popular demand of our current regional awards in South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, TBF is excited to announce the expansion of our regional competitions to include Cape Verde and the Hawaiian Islands. These two locations are known to have great marlin fishing and a passionate sportfishing community, where several past award winners come from or have fished. These competitions will focus on who reports the most total marlin to TBF before the end of the competition season. The season will run concurrently with our overall awards (November 1st – October 31st of the following year) and just like our past regional competitions
INTRODUCING THE HAWAII REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION!
Photo Courtesy of Brian Toney The Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly a special place for many reasons. In the eyes of many anglers, it is unique for being the only place in the world where a grander marlin has been caught during every month of the year. After the success of TBF’s regional competitions in the Gulf of Mexico and South Florida, TBF has created the Hawaiian Tag & Release Regional Competition to recognize the great fishing, captains, anglers and crews who fish there. It couldn’t come at a moment sooner after one of the best billfish seasons on record
INTRODUCING THE CAPE VERDE REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION
Courtesy of the Big Oh For the past several years, winners of TBF’s International Tag & Release Competition blue marlin categories have all come out of Cape Verde and it is certainly one of the top places in the Atlantic Ocean to catch one of its top predators. Each year this small chain of islands off the west coast of Africa draw some of the biggest and best names in the sportfishing arena. The number of blue marlin and their sizes in Cape Verde make it a special place, a great fishery and an important place for
2016 TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION UPDATE
Just when it seems that the excitement from last year’s Tag & Release Award Ceremony has begun to wind down, we’ve started ramping up for the 2016 competition. This year we will be debuting a few exciting new things for captains and crews, so keep checking in at http://www.billfish.org/competition for official rules and announcements coming soon! Every year, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recognizes the captains, mates and anglers (including youth and ladies) who tag and release the most billfish in each of the world’s oceans. The competition is categorized by billfish species, ocean, and whether the fish were tagged or released
The Billfish Foundation’s International Tag & Release Awards – 2015 Award Winners
Anglers, captains and mates worldwide are the vital elements needed to provide The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release program the valuable data required to further billfish science and ensure that fishing opportunities are available for future generations. Without the dedication of these individuals from around the world, what is known about billfish science and the advances in conservation would not be possible today. Since 1990, TBF has received more than 220,000 billfish tag and release records from anglers and captains around the world. Records are entered into TBF’s Tag & Release Online Database, which has gained in popularity
