The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and BFD (formerly Bluefin Data) have teamed up to create an exciting new opportunity for the future of billfish conservation. Together, they’ve integrated BFD’s electronic logbook application, VESL, with TBF’s Tag & Release Program, making it easier than ever for anglers and charter captains to contribute to billfish research and conservation efforts. Now, you can report data through TBF’s online database AND BFD’s new application, VESL.
With over 290,000 data reports already submitted to TBF – mostly from the recreational sportfishing community – this integration will expand our efforts and help give TBF a more detailed understanding of billfish populations and movements.
In general, more than 90% of the data received by TBF comes from the recreational sport fishing community. TBF has worked for more than 35 years to support and conduct research that assesses billfish stocks, identifies billfish threats, and quantifies socio economic contributions of billfish. TBF’s Tag & Release Program is popular within the recreational community, hosting a data sampling size of more than 290,000 data reports and collecting information related to species, location, species, fish dimensions, gear type, hook type, fish conditions, and even crew and boat details. These records have been instrumental in allowing TBF to gain a better understanding of billfish populations and movements, while simultaneously supporting both the anglers and captains of the industry and billfish in general. By adding charter boat billfish data, TBF is able to grasp an even further understanding of billfish, essentially tapping into a market of data collection yet to be obtained.
Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and their Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Grant Program, BFD, LLC partnered with TBF to enhance billfish conservation efforts. The goal was to integrate TBF’s Tag & Release Program into BFD’s VESL application, allowing different permit holders to easily report their billfish catch in support of conservation. Sparked by a desire to improve current electronic reporting methods and simplify the process overall, BFD developed a unified reporting form that satisfies the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) recreational reporting requirements and TBF’s billfish tagging program. For more than two years, BFD worked to create a simple submission process for users on the commercial and charter side of fisheries that would have the added benefit of supporting billfish conservation and reduce the burdens of reporting.
He focuses on science and policy strategy and has experience working in the Fishery Statistics Division at NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Dedicated to advancing digital solutions for the fisheries industry. Andrew leads the company with a focus on simplifying the reporting process for stakeholders and enhancing data collection for better fishery management and conservation
Focuses on data analysis, education outreach, and program integration, aiming to improve data collection efforts and advance TBF strategies. Previous work includes NOAA’s observer and commercial logbook programs.
Peter oversees all of TBF‘s Conservation Programs – Science, Policy, and Education.
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