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The Billfish Foundation

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Learn what’s happening in the world of billfish, including fisheries management, policy updates, and regulations that affect our community.

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October 27, 2018

Billfish Conservation Act Amendment Update

TBF was very pleased when the National Marine Fisheries Service staff announced the 2018 amended Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) must comply with the agency’s official Guidelines. The amended BCA prohibits…
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October 13, 2018

Increase of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota

Good News Bluefin Tuna Anglers! The Angling Allocation of Atlantic bluefin tuna, beginning January 2019, increases by .3 of a metric ton or 661 pounds. This increase applies in each…
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October 5, 2018

2018 Tag & Release Competition Update

Here are the current standings in all categories (except Cape Verde, apologies, we’re working on it) as of October 5, 2018. Scroll through, find your name, find your friend’s name!…
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October 1, 2018

No More Driftnet Swordfish fishery Off Southern California

California Governor Signs Historic Law Governor Jerry Brown of California signed into law an act passed by his legislator to begin the phase out use of mile long commercial drift…
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September 27, 2018

Learning to Fish Via Youtube?

Sportfishing is an art/skill that cannot be mastered quickly.  It takes time, energy, failure, and money to become an accomplished angler. The interesting aspect of fishing is the pressure that…
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September 20, 2018

Analysis of Minimum Length for Blue Marlin Tournaments

The Billfish Foundation’s newest Winthrop P. Rockefeller Ocean Program intern, Nick Becker, a recent graduate from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, worked with blue marlin tournaments out of…
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September 5, 2018

Florida East Coast Closed Zone Will Remain Closed!

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is not issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would open the east coast Florida closed zone to pelagic longline vessels for the stated…
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August 15, 2018

Atlantic Billfish Recreational Landings Update

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just released their preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale…
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August 13, 2018

Passing of a Legend – Capt. Ron Hamlin

Hamlin was recognized not only for his expertise at placing anglers from all over the world on billfish, but also for his contributions to billfish conservation.  His expertise at the…
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August 13, 2018

Closing a Loophole in the Billfish Conservation Act

The amended Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) passed Congress and was signed into law this month, August 2018.  The amended BCA prohibits Pacific billfish landed in Hawaii and in the U.S. Pacific…
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August 8, 2018

Sargassum Invasion

Weed, Weed – too much of a good thing? Offshore anglers know seeing and fishing a floating Sargassum weed line is a good thing for it they usually are very…
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July 25, 2018

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) Angling Category – Northern Area Trophy Fishery Closing

NOAA Fisheries will close the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery for large medium and giant “trophy” BFT (measuring 73” or greater) in the northern area effective 11:30 p.m. local time on…
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July 18, 2018

Tag & Release Competition Update

Our annual Tag & Release competition is about 3/4 over and we will crown this year’s winners later this year at our Tag and Release Award Ceremony in February. We…
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July 13, 2018

Billfish Policy Update – July 2018

To keep you up to date and for your convenience, we have summarized some of the latest policies that effect billfish and our community. The Council recommended actions on: Keep up…
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June 4, 2018

Protect the Option to Incidentally catch & land a Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico

Over the past several years, the bluefin tuna (BFT) incidental bite in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) has picked up. Through the efforts of TBF, GOM anglers have an allocation…
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June 4, 2018

Bill introduced to phase out large-mesh drift gillnets off California

The practice of allowing the U.S. west coast fishery to still use large mesh drift gillnets is insane. The fact that this method of fishing is still allowed shows how much influence the commercial fishing industry has with the federal…
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May 16, 2018

Announcing TBF’s Annual Gala – The Spy Who Tagged Me!

Make sure to save the date and come dressed as your favorite character(s) for our gala & fundraiser, during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Friday, November 2, 2018 at…
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May 3, 2018

TBF submitted comments in opposition to EFP off the Gulf of Maine

The Billfish Foundation recently submitted comments against NOAA’s proposed Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) opening of the Cashes Ledge and Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) closed areas to commercial fishing. Currently,…
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April 26, 2018

Why Are Billfish Threatened?

The Billfish Foundation was the result of a movement led by anglers who began noticing there were fewer big fish to catch. At the time, billfish tournaments featured piles of…
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April 25, 2018

Stricter Measures Not Included In NMFS Options For Longlines

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently issued a plan (Scoping Document, March 2018) to reinvigorate the longline fishery rather than proposing stricter conservation measures. If actions to reinvigorate the…
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April 24, 2018

TBF Announces 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

The Paxson H. Offield Lifetime Science Achievement Award The award is named in honor of a former TBF board member, who believed passionately in the value of science to support responsible…
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April 17, 2018

NMFS Strives to Revitalize the Pelagic Longline Fishery – Why Not the Billfish Fishery?

The Billfish Foundation objects to the goal of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to revitalize the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery.  Instead, TBF is calling for options that continue to…
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April 12, 2018

Member Survey Helps Focus Priority Areas

The Billfish Foundation recently sent a survey to its members in order to better understand the concerns and wants of our constituents. Over 100 responses have been recorded, which TBF…
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April 11, 2018

Okaloosa County Moves Forward With FAD Buoy Project

Will Okaloosa County’s (in Florida’s panhandle) planned recreational fishing buoy system perform as a collection of fish aggregation devices (FADs) and draw lots of fish to significantly improve billfish catches…
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TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
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