The Billfish Foundation was honored to be a part of Costa Sunglasses’ Conservation Village, within the Miami Boat Show this year. The venue provided the platform for many conservation organizations, including The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and marine regulatory agencies, to exhibit and share their conservation message with show visitors. TBF was able to talk about the various work we have been working on like tagging program and our recent age and growth work on Atlantic blue marlin.

The Village, popular with students of all ages, who seemed aware of the need for ocean conservation yet were unaware of the magnitude plastics already poses to our oceans. Once informed, they quickly embraced Costa’s Kick Plastic campaign, launched to mobilize a movement of reducing plastics overall, but specifically to reduce plastics in our oceans. Costa’s Kick Plastic campaign was highlighted in the Village and throughout the entire boat show including easy access to filtered-water stations placed at key points throughout the show. Costa offered 24-ounce aluminum water bottles for $10 to reduce plastics at the show and with each purchased bottle a Costa visor was given as an appreciation gift.

“Raising awareness of existing and growing threats from plastics to our oceans is the first step”, said Andrew Cox, Costa’s Offshore Community Leader, “but engaging and motivating individuals to stop using plastics must follow.” He added a staggering fact, the equivalent of a garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute each day. He concluded by saying “if we don’t stop this practice, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish, by weight, by 2050.” Already it is reported that one in four fish tested have plastic in them.

TBF is emphasizing ocean threats from plastics and the importance of the Costa’s Kick Plastics campaign within our youth education publications and messaging. Drawing from the Kick Plastics campaign, steps young anglers can take while on the water and at the dock to reduce ocean treats from plastics will be included. Learn more about Costa’s conservation campaigns, like kick plastic here.