THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION AWARDS 2010 INTERNATIONALTAG & RELEASE WINNERS
LOWER T&R NUMBERS REPORTED IN ANNUAL GLOBAL CONSERVATION “COMPETITION” PROGRAM THAT’S CRITICAL TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. USA – Every time they fish on three oceans, these anglers are helping scientific research. Globally since 1990 they — anglers, captains and mates — have become the heart-and-soul of The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) eminent conservation program committed to billfish tag and release, supplying valuable data critical to learning migratory habits and more.
The winners of TBF’s 21th year-long competition were presented their 2010 International Tag & Release Awards at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom. Awards sponsors included American Custom Yachts, Costa, Dockwise, King Sailfish and Rybovich Besides celebrating the award winners, the event was also the Kick-Off Party for TBF’s Silver Anniversary.
TBF’s Overall Tagging Winners for all species (blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish) included Gray Ingram, Jupiter, Fla., USA, Overall Male Angler; Betsy Crudele, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA – Overall Lady Angler, and Chris Sheeder, of Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, the Overall Captain.
Ingram, received double honors winning the TBF’s T&R Release category of the competition as the Overall Male Angler for all species. Carol Speicher of Leola, Pa., USA, was the Overall Lady Angler and Brad Philipps, Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, the Overall Captain.
To make it a family affair Gray Ingram’s grandson Bo Ingram, Greensboro, N.C. USA, was the Overall Award Youth Tag winner. Robbie Angus of Kerikeri, New Zealand was named the Overall Award Youth Release winner.
Each year TBF members from more than 70 countries are invited to participate. The latest annual competition ran from Nov. 1, 2009 to Oct. 31, 2010 with “tagging data reports” and “release notification cards” generated from the temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, where a majority of the world’s billfish inhabit. To be eligible to receive an award active TBF members must have tagged and/or released five or more of a species to qualify.
In addition, TBF’s Youth Program created in 2001, recognizes the conservation ethics and achievements of young anglers. It includes a three fish minimum in three age groupings for both tag and release categories.
Peter Chaibongsai, TBF’s Director of Science and Policy, said the economy, plus the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster last spring and summer had a major affect in reduced T&R numbers.
“Closures to areas in the Gulf because of oil also affected major billfishing tournaments,” he added. “Our reports of releases were probably the lowest numbers we’ve had in sometime.”
“And it wasn’t just the Gulf. While we had about a 30% increase of sailfish release reports, we also had a sharp decrease — about 80%, in the number of striped marlin compared to last year — due to the lack of a striped marlin bite in the Los Cabos area.
“The release numbers were so significant in the striped category, which would typically account for about 50% or more, this year it was only a fraction of that. We had more releases of stripes last year than the total of releases of all billfish this year,” said Chaibongsai.
“We deployed about 3100 tags and about 2000 release records during our competition period, a 25% decrease on tag efforts and 66% decrease off release efforts. After the Oct. 31st deadline we received a large number of late returns. Together they accounted for 4500 tag and 3500 release reports from the competition period.”
For more on TBF’s annual Tag & Release program please call 954-938-0150 for Peter Chaibongsai (ext. 107) or Elliott Stark (ext. 101) or Deborah Cummings (ext. 106)
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The Billfish Foundation
Tag & Release Award Winners of 2010
(presented Feb. 19,2011, Miami, Fla.)
Tag Category
TAG WINNERS
Top Tagging Anglers Atlantic
Sam Jennings Juno Beach, Fla., USA Blue Marlin
Betsy Crudele Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA Sailfish
Victoria Roberts Stevensville, Md. USA White Marlin
Top Tagging Captains Atlantic
Mike Lemon Miami, Fla., USA Blue Marlin
Ray Peterson Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA Sailfish
Jimmie Roberts Stevensville, Md., USA Spearfish
Sean O’Connor Key Largo, Fla., USA Swordfish
Jimmie Roberts Stevensville, Md, USA White Marlin
Top Tag Anglers Pacific
John Richardson Bellville, Texas, USA Black Marlin
Kanako Terai Hiroshima, Japan Blue Marlin
Steve Fanscy Harrow, Ontario, Canada Sailfish
Suzanne Gustavson Kailua Kona, Hawaii, USA Spearfish
Dennis Poulton Bakersfield, Ca., USA Striped Marlin
Top Tag Captains Pacific
Gavilan Cordoba Piñas, Panama Black Marlin
Kevin Nakamura Kailua Kona, Hawaii, USA Blue Marlin
Chris Sheeder Pto. Quetzal, Guatemala Sailfish
Gene VanderHoek Kailua Kona, Hawaii, USA Spearfish
Brett Walker Lake Forest, Ca., USA Striped Marlin
Top Tag Anglers Indian
Mike Russon Capetown, South Africa Black Marlin
Henry Riggs-Miller Miami, Fla., USA Sailfish
Top Tag Captains Indian
Bernard Vale Coral Bay, Australia Black Marlin
John Pearce Phuket, Thailand Blue Marlin
Ross Newton Broome, Australia Sailfish
Simon Hemphill Ukunda, Kenya Striped Marlin
Overall Tagging Winners for all species
Gray Ingram Jupiter, Fla., USA Overall Angler
Chris Sheeder Pto. Quetzal, Guatemala Overall Captain
Betsy Crudele Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA Overall Lady Angler
YOUTH AWARDS
Youth Anglers Tagging
Bo Ingram Greensboro, N.C., USA 9-10 Winner
Tyler Sudbrink Greensboro, N.C., USA 13-15 Winner
Jacquie RushfordBroome, Australia Runner-Up
Ricardo Sola Guayaquil, Ecuador 16-17 Winner
Clay Meister Palm Bch Gardens, Fla., USA Runner-Up
Overall Award Youth Tag – Bo Ingram
Release Category
Top Release Anglers Atlantic
Gray Ingram Jupiter, Fla., USA Blue Marlin
Carole Speicher Leole, Pa., USA White Marlin
Top Release Captains Atlantic
Martin Bates New Zealand Blue Marlin
Bertrand Bouchard Port Gentil, Gabon Sailfish
Barry Daniels Oregon Inlet, N.C., USA White Marlin
Top Release Anglers Pacific
Robbie Angus Kerikeri, New Zealand Black Marlin
Gary Carter Duluth, Ga., USA Blue Marlin
Jim Turner Miami, Fla., USA Sailfish
Gray Ingram Jupiter, Fla., USA Striped Marlin
Top Release Captains Pacific
Wade Richardson Bellville, Texas, USA Black Marlin
Yoan Alcala Venezuela Blue Marlin
Brad Philipps Pto. Quetzal, Guatemala Sailfish
Julio Castro Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Striped Marlin
John Gregory Kerikeri, New Zealand Swordfish
Top Release Captains Indian
Perry Rosalie Seychelles Sailfish
Overall Release Winners for all species
Gray Ingram Jupiter, Fla., USA Overall Angler
Brad Philipps Pto. Quetzal, Guatemala Overall Captain
Carol Speicher Leola, Pa., USA Overall Lady Angler
Youth Anglers Release
Robbie Angus Kerikeri, New Zealand 16-17 Winner
Overall Award Youth Release – Robbie Angus
