TBF GOES TO JAPAN!

On July 25-28th, TBF’s Peter Chaibongsai took part in the Japan Game Fish Association’s (JGFA) Japan International Billfish Tournament (JIBT) off of Shimoda, Japan. Located several hundred miles south from Tokyo, Shimoda, Japan is known for the US Navy opening up trade between nations in the mid-19th century. The JIBT, in its 35th year, pits the best Japanese billfish anglers against one another in a friendly tournament – with the only thing on the line is pride and bragging rights on who is the top billfish boat . While the JGFA holds billfish tournaments on almost every weekend

SAILFISH BREWING COMPANY’S TAG & RELEASE AMBER FESTIVAL

The first annual Sailfish Brewing Company’s Tag & Release Amber Festival was held on July 20th at Sailfish Brewery in Fort Pierce, Florida to bring awareness and generate funds for The Billfish Foundation (TBF). This event was the brewery’s way to help support TBF and to introduce themselves a TBF conservation partner for 2013 and beyond. As part of their commitment to honor the TBF mission, the owners of Sailfish Brewing Company named one of its most popular offerings Tag & Release Amber. Sailfish Brewery donated a $1 for every Tag & Release beer sold during the festival

TBF SUBMITS COMMENTS FOR BILLFISH CONSERVATION ACT SCOPING PROCESS

On July 3,The Billfish Foundation submitted their official comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as part of the scoping process for the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012. Signed into law on October 5, 2012, NMFS is seeking public comment on the potential scope of any future regulations to implement the BCA. Two exemptions placed in the legislation would allow Pacific billfish caught by domestic vessels and landed Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Areas to be excluded from the general prohibition within the legislation. The legislation also allows foreign vessels to land billfish in Pacific Insular

NEW FEDERAL POLICY WILL ENHANCE GULF OF MEXICO’S RIGS TO REEF PROGRAM

On June 26, 2013 the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) revised their policy for evaluating proposals to convert obsolete, offshore oil and gas production platforms into artificial reefs rather than require companies to remove them in accordance with the ‘Idle Iron’ requirements. These federal regulations require offshore oil and gas operators to seal wells that are no longer producing and remove any associated infrastructure associated with the production platform…removing fish habitats for many of the Gulf of Mexico’s most sought after game fish. BSEE’ s new policy will allow companies to avoid the removal process by making

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