TBF’S INTERNATIONAL TAG & RELEASE AWARDS 2014 AWARD WINNERS

Each year, TBF relies on the sportfishing community across the world to report their billfish tag and release data. Since it began in 1990, TBF’s Tag & Release Program now has the largest private billfish tagging database in the world, with over 220,000 tag and release records.  This valuable data is required to further billfish science needed to help fishing opportunities remain available for future generations. Without the dedication of these individuals around the world, what is known about billfish would be far less and conservation would have suffered. To recognize their tag and release efforts, each year

CUBAN EVOLUTION

No doubt, as the political debate increases over pros and cons of the United States normalizing relations with Cuba, anglers want to move forward to fish in Cuban waters. While taking your own boat remains ILLEGAL, Americans can book a fishing trip in Cuba so long as the anglers are part of permitted groups fishing within one of 12 authorized categories, but local boats must be used. This past year, permitted American groups fished the Hemingway International Billfish Tournament at the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba, which has 2339 members from 63 countries and has friendly relations

Extremism in Fisheries Must be Countered- Costa Rica

Just when you thought you heard every crazy idea, here comes another one! In Costa Rica, the nation to which 283,790 Americans traveled in 2008 to sportfish, which generated $599 million, or about 2% of the country’s GDP, and $78 million in tax revenue and 63,000 jobs, it appears some are pushing for extreme, anti-sportfishing suggestions. Environmentalists and others who claim to represent recreational fishing are suggesting strategies that will strangle Costa Rica’s sportfishing ecotourism industry, even though tourism is the nation’s top industry! The suggestions made on the record at a government meeting by the quasi-recreational fishing

THE OFFSHORE FISHING LEAGUE – PRO SERIES

Very much like NASCAR or a professional sports team, large investment opportunities and top notch fishing skills are heading offshore with the creation and launching of the Offshore Fishing League (OFL). The OFL is the world’s first professional big-game sportfishing competition. “OFL investors see the sport, with over 45 million U.S. anglers, ready for prime time,” said Carlos Suito, CEO, “watching tough battles on the high seas, adrenaline-pumping action by the anglers working with the captain and team members while fighting large blue marlin to the boat, where they must be tagged and successfully released.” The equipment sponsors

RECREATIONAL HMS ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MID-ATLANTIC TO MAINE

Whether it is billfish, tuna, or sharks, fishing for HMS species means finding blue water far offshore from the dock. Venturing offshore and pursuing big game fish requires larger boats, heavier tackle and presents challenges on the scale of the fish that anglers target. Of course, the bigger boats, specialized equipment, and more fuel needed means offshore anglers pursing species like billfish spend more than the average saltwater angler. For HMS fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic and New England region where fishing grounds can be 30-100 miles offshore and multiday trips are the norm this is especially true. When all

2014 TAG & RELEASE WINNERS!

The tag and release reports are in and the results have finally been tallied. This year was truly a record year for billfish anglers and for TBF’s Tag & Release Program. Below are some of the top anglers and captains from across the world at the apex of this amazing sport. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see everyone at our awards ceremony on Friday, February 13 in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island during the 2015 Miami International Boat Show. See below for more information. Winners are asked to RSVP for the event by Monday January 12. 

FINALIZED AMENDMENT 7 MEASURE FOR BLUEFIN TUNA

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the final regulations for the domestic management of western Atlantic bluefin tuna with Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan.  Anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida will applaud the decision to maintain closed zones and to allocate a portion of the trophy bluefin quota to Gulf anglers. These new regulations were developed to reduce the amount of dead discards, increase accountability and reporting requirements, and ensure regulations are consistent with international management goals. Maximizing fishing opportunity is also a major objective of the amendment to help the

Enchanted Forest Masquerade Ball – TBF’S 2014 Gala Fundraising Dinner

The Enchanted Forest’s Top Event Sponsors “Heroes for the 2014 Gala” Louisiana Cat • Bacardi Dragonfly Boatworks • Cox Maritime Law • Casa de Campo Marina Garmin • One Vanilla • West Coast Fishing Club • Casa Vieja Lodge Harry Gaines Kenai River Fishing • Kenai River Sportfishing Association • JM Lexus C&L Insurance • King Sailfish Release Mounts • Blue Haven Resort & Panoply Charters Top Evening Check Donors Hatteras Blue Marlin Club – $50,000 • Mobile Big Game Fishing Club – $39,000 Costa Sunglasses – $27,823.69 • Orange Beach Billfish Classic – $26,000 Presidential Challenge –

ICCAT HIGHLIGHTS – NOVEMBER 2014 GENOA, ITALY

The 19th Special meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) met November 2014 in Genoa, Italy to consider changes in management and conservation measures for Atlantic highly migratory fish. Forty two of the forty nine member nations gathered for another “bluefin tuna” year. Atlantic bluefin tuna landing quotas for both the western Atlantic and the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fish were raised based on recent stock assessments that indicated a continuing increase in abundance. The quota for the western stock increased from 1750 metric tons to 2000 metric tons, and the eastern stock increased

GULF & CARIBBEAN FISHERIES INSTITUTE HOLDS 67TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) regularly seeks out and participates in conferences to learn and discuss regional fisheries issues with scientists, policy makers, and local communities. In early November, TBF attended the 67th Gulf & Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference (GFCI) in Barbados. This annual event provides a perfect forum for scientists, students, government representatives, fishery managers, and conservation organizations from the region to present and discuss their research findings and concerns. Peter Chaibongsai and Roxane De Waegh represented TBF at the conference. De Waegh presented her work on the collection of fisheries data from all stakeholders for scientists and policy