PAXSON “PACKY” OFFIELD – LET’S CONTINUE HIS LEGACY…

PAXSON “PACKY” OFFIELD, former chairman of The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) board of directors, passed away Sunday June 14th at his home in Michigan. In 2011, Offield was the recipient of TBF’s most prestigious award, the Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award. He was a man who cared deeply for the world’s natural resources and matched that passion with support for research and conservation of billfish, bison, eagles, peregrine falcons and foxes. He also supported science to fight disease and to provide basic services, including funds for well water in a very distant remote area so the quality of life for others

TBF ANNOUNCES THE 2015 RYBOVICH LIFETIME CONSERVATION AWARD WINNERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA – June 8, 2015 – Today, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the world’s leading sportfishing conservation organization, announced the winners of its prestigious Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award – Captain Randolph “Bouncer” Smith of Miami, Florida and recently retired financial advisor John Jolley of Boynton Beach, Florida.  The Award is named in honor of the late John Rybovich, a pioneer in billfish conservation and sportfishing vessel design.  The presentations will be made during TBF’s annual gala, held this year on Friday, November 6, 2015 at the Harbor Beach Marriott resort on Ft. Lauderdale

ANNUAL TAG AND RELEASE COMPETITION RULES AND AWARDS

The Billfish Foundation has received several inquiries regarding our annual tag and release competition. In response we have attached our specific rules for the competition. Additionally we have the individual categories and awards explained. In addition to the international competition, TBF has created regional competitions for South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Please see the SoFLo Sailfish Circuit and Gulf of Mexico Marlin Tagging Competition pages for full

OFFSHORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PARTNERS WITH TBF

Photo Courtesy of Chris Van Leeuwen The Offshore World Championship and The Billfish Foundation announced a partnership to advance billfish science last month. The project, including OWC, The Billfish Foundation, Marina Pez Vela, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), the Presidential Challenge of Central America, Costa Sunglasses, King Sailfish Mounts and the Bonnier Corporation called upon tournament anglers and crews during this year’s event to tag & collect valuable billfish data. With the incredible volume of sailfish found off Quepos, Costa Rica during the past few seasons, coupled with many of the world’s best offshore anglers fishing the

TBF/SEAKEEPERS JOINT EVENT

Over 100 guests attended the exclusive member’s only The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and International Seakeepers Society joint event to promote  membership and announce a partnership between both organizations to collaborate on billfish conservation. The event, free for all TBF & SeaKeepers members, was hosted during the Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show on Thursday, February 12th on the Golfito Marina Villageand Denison Dock. Art work and furniture from Tony Ludovico was prominently featured, appetizers were sponsored by Savvy Graphics, and drinks were sponsored by Sailfish Brewery & ORCA coolers were enjoyed by all. TBF and Seakeepers will be planning several more member’s only events in south Florida throughout the year so be sure your membership

The Billfish Foundation’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 information. Since it began in 1990, TBF’s Tag & Release Program anglers, captains and mates worldwide have made this program the largest private billfish tagging database in the world with over 220,000 tag and release records.  This valuable data is needed to further billfish science and ensure that fishing opportunities are available for future generations. Without the dedication of these individuals around the world, what is known about billfish science and the advances in conservation, would not be possible today

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

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. 

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 –

RYBOVICH LIFETIME CONSERVATION AWARDS PRESENTED AT TBF’S ENCHANTED FOREST MASQUERADE BALL

The Billfish Foundation’s most prestigious award, the Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award, is named in honor of the late John Rybovich, a pioneer in billfish conservation and sportfishing vessel design. This year’s winners represent the marine publishing industry, the field of billfish science and an individual advocate and organizer for advancing responsible fishing. C.M. “Rip” Cunningham – of Boston, Massachusetts began 41 years ago as an associate editor with SaltWater Sportsman magazine where he educated anglers not only on fishing and boating techniques and products, but equally on the importance of participating in the fishery conservation and management processes