TBF RELEASES STUDY ‘SPORTFISHING IN PANAMA: A NATURAL ECONOMIC GOLD MINE’
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A report released today by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) reveals that sportfishing has been a major factor in attracting tourists to Panama providing a valuable fishing-based economic lift to the country. In 2011 (most recent data), 86,250 visitors fished in Panama. Those anglers and the rest of their travel companions spent $97 million on charter boats, fuel, food, lodging, and other related expenses. The number of anglers visiting Panama has doubled from 2001 to 2011 and the surge could only be the beginning, provided that fishing remains great and consumers are made aware
THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA’S MARINE RESERVES
This month, Australia is on the brink of establishing the world’s largest network of marine reserves that will cover close to 900,000 square miles including vast zones that would restrict anglers from iconic fishing grounds in the Coral Sea. The science and regulatory processes used to design these reserves remains a very contentious issue and the debate still continues at the federal level. Approval of the reserves’ management plans by both the Lower (Representatives) and Upper (Senate) Houses of Parliament marks the final step before the reserves can be implemented.
INTRODUCING TBF/HOOKBUZZ MONTHLY PHOTOCONTEST
Andrés Carrasco Martínez
Do you have any amazing billfishing pictures? We’d love to see them AND reward you with some free stuff ! The Billfish Foundation and HookBuzz.comare proud to announce a monthly photo contest where the winner will be eventually decided by the YOU! Each month, one winner will be voted on and then after 12 months of winners are announced, a grand prize winner will win a bag full of gear! Not too shabby for just sending in a picture. All you need to do it submit your picture to us via email and be sure to “like” our facebook page
STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THE “OTHER SIDE” OF SPORTFISHING
Going out fishing is great, but did you ever wonder how science is involved with sportfishing? The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) current educational program with LMR tackle, based out of Fort Lauderdale, actually allows young people to understand the “Science Behind Sportfishing,” while also participating in it. With assistance from the Fish Florida Grant, young people are discovering how school subjects like science and math are applied in the creation of some of the most popular fishing products. It also allows the kids to see that the recreational fishing community is not only limited to people fishing on the water
VICTORY FOR MARLIN IN NEW ZEALAND
A recent decision to prohibit the commercial harvest of marlin in New Zealand waters represents another victory for billfish conservation. Last year a reevaluation of the management of billfish and tuna species in New Zealand was undertaken with the possibility of introducing marlin (blue, black and striped marlin) into the quota management system. This would mean that an estimated 25 metric tons of marlin caught commercially could be potentially harvested and sold commercially each year. Fortunately, the Minister of Primary Industries, recognizing the importance of billfish to New Zealand’s sportfishing industry has decided to not include marlin into the
TBF’s Tag and Release Program
Established in 1990, The Billfish Foundation’s Tag and Release Program is the largest private billfish tagging database in the world and the cornerstone of TBF’s conservation and advocacy efforts. With more than 220,000 tag and release reports, TBF receives over 15,000 tag and release records annually from across the globe and provides vital information for billfish conservation. The success of TBF’s Tag and Release program is contributed to the dedicated anglers and captains around the globe that voluntarily tag, release, and report their billfish catches. The deployment of traditional tags and the data gathered from recaptured billfish provides valuable
TBF BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Not many people want to go back to school, one time through is enough for many, but that is exactly what The Billfish Foundation’s Peter Chaibongsai did last week at the La Jolla Country Day school in La Jolla, California. TBF was invited by Mr. Christopher Uyeda, a science teacher, to present to several classes on the importance of the conservation of recreational fish stocks and why programs like TBF’s Tag & Release program are essential for billfish conservation. Chaibongsai spoke about TBF and our mission to conserve billfish populations worldwide as well as those communities dependent on healthy
TBF SUBMITS OFFICIAL COMMENTS FOR DRAFT SWORDFISH AMENDMENT
On May 2, 2013 The Billfish Foundation submitted their official comments for Draft Amendment 8 for swordfish management in the United States as part of the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries Management Plan. Draft Amendment 8 proposes the establishment of a new Open-Access Commercial Handgear Permit for Swordfish as a means to increase access to fishery and decrease the amount of unharvested quota. Even though the North Atlantic swordfish stocks are fully recovered, which represents a success story for international fisheries management, the U.S. has failed to catch its allocated quota in recent years. From 2007 to 2011
SUPPORT BUILDING IN AUSTRALIA BY RESPECTED SCIENTISTS
Australia’s proposed network of marine reserves is threatening to close off close to a million square kilometers to anglers, but fortunately, several scientists and organizations have been working to try and stop this from happening. A recent publication by Professor Robert Kearney in the Open Journal of Marine Science has echoed many of the points made by TBF and that the closures of vast marine zones are not logical or necessary for Australia to protect its marine resources. By some estimates, implementing these reserves will mean economic losses totaling in the billions, yet they will do little to protect
WELCOME PELAGIC GEAR AS A NEW TAG & RELEASE SPONSOR!
The Billfish Foundation would like to welcome Pelagic Gear as a new Tag & Release Sponsor! We are excited to have them on board to support and promote TBF’s Tag & Release Program. Pelagic joins Bisbee’s Black and Blue, Costa Sunglasses, and King Sailfish Mounts as Tag & Release Sponsors for 2013. Pelagic Gear has been a sponsor of TBF’s website section “In the Spread” for several years, but reaffirmed and increased their support of TBF’s main conservation program. This partnership works perfectly with Pelagic’s own Ocean Conservancy Project line. This project raises funds for organizations that are
