As of October 3, 2022, Amendment 13 for Bluefin Tuna is now complete and includes changes for commercial fishing under the Individual Bluefin Quota system. Fortunately, there were fewer impacts…
Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, a group of federal representatives have continued to assess and develop recovery strategies for injured…
As reported recently in the Tico Times, a new Costa Rican tuna law requires all purse seine vessels (none of which are owned by Costa Rican interests) to fish outside of…
NMFS transferred 90.5 metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna from the Reserve Category to the General Category for the remainder of this month to cover a 20.5 metric ton quota…
We would like to introduce our newest Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean intern, Adelaide Spain! She is currently a senior at the University of Miami studying Marine Affairs and Classics…
The following was released by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group and the Large Pelagics Research Center: The most comprehensive effort to date to characterize striped marlin (Kajikia audax) movements in the Central North…
Over the years, Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear, TBF’s billfish scientist has developed “species distribution models” for highly migratory species that estimate time-varying, three-dimensional distribution of habitat. These models are useful…
Following the implementation of Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Management Plan in May 2022, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) issued Regulatory Amendment 3 to…
Continued authorization of recreational fishing within the new Sanctuary is essential to the industry and continued great fishing opportunities for citizens throughout the U.S. The designation comes as part of…
East Coast anglers frustrated by the federal government’s failure to take any meaningful action to reduce Atlantic shark depredations on angler-hooked fish have scheduled a shark tournament for July 9.…
Sales of Offshore Commercial Wind Energy Leases off all U.S. coasts were first offered by BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the Interior) off the East Coast in…
Countries are robbed of an estimated $26-50 billion annually due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). IUU fishing is defined as any fishing operations outside of current regulations…
In March of this year, the 1st Circle Hook Workshop of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) commenced. The goal was to analyze “scientific information regarding different circle hooks sizes…
Closed Zones Currently in Government Crosshairs The 20-year plus Closed Zones off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico that greatly improved recreational fishing in the regions, now…
The current National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) attempts to address the Atlantic shark depredation problem offers no realistic solution for reducing occurrences. The agency offered suggestions to mitigate the problem…
To identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOA), NOAA uses science-based guidance, economic assessments, and social support. Key Message: Why Is This Happening? On May 7, 2020, the White House issued an…
Sportfishing Banned in Colombia – Beginning in 2023 The Supreme Court of Colombia recently ruled that sportfishing, even catch and release, amounts to torture, thus prohibiting the sport in marine…
TBF is excited to announce the release of its new tag and release web application. Complete with a more user-friendly interface, personalized fishing history, and a revamped mobile phone application,…
After 11:30 p.m., May 17, 2022, fishermen aboard Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may not retain, possess, or land large medium or giant Atlantic…
Can you believe we are already halfway through our annual competition?!?! Listed below are current standings for top captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag &…
Amendment 13 to the HMS Fishery Management Plan – Bluefin Tuna Earlier in May 2022, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued its Final Environmental Impact Review (FEIR) of the…
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced increases to all Fishing Categories and has now defined what those limitations are for the Angling Category. Several months prior, TBF requested the…
Photo Courtesy of Brian Toney The Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly a special place for many reasons. In the eyes of many anglers, it is unique for being the only place…
Note: the SAFMC public comment period ended on the day of the meeting, March 7, 2018. More comment periods will be coming, stay up to date by subscribing to our…
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) finally announced as “invalid” the Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) issued last year to a Nova Southeastern University (NSU) scientist granting permission to longline within…
Preliminary National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) statistics comparing Atlantic bluefin tuna landings in December 2017 to December 2016 indicate more fish were landed in 2017, but smaller in size and…
A group of anglers were rescued off the Boynton Beach Inlet Saturday morning after their boat was allegedly sunk by a massive marlin. However, their story has since been called…
The Billfish Foundation was honored to join the 55th annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament as a benefiting charity this year. The tournament, held at Sailfish Marina in West Palm Beach,…
NOVA Southeastern University Scientist and assistant professor, David W. Kerstetter, who received a federal Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) in 2017 to conduct longline research in Florida’s east coast closed zone,…
We all want that epic photo. Whether it’s the most beautiful bonefish you’ve ever reeled in, a tasty grouper you’ve pulled up from the reef, and especially the mighty sailfish…
The Southeast Permits Office of NOAA Fisheries is reminding permit holders that all limited access permits must be renewed by the termination date printed on the front of the permit.…
Beginning January 5, 2018, NOAA Fisheries will require vessels with Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permits to also obtain a “commercial sale” endorsement in order to sell any catch of…
The National Marine Fisheries Service has decided to close the General category fishery for large, medium, and giant Atlantic bluefin tuna for the rest of the year. The closure takes…
The Atlantic bluefin tuna General fishery will reopen December 1 for the first time since early October, thanks to a transfer of quota. NOAA Fisheries is transferring 25.6 mt from…
More than 700 delegates from 47 member nations met in Marrakesh last week for the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to discuss management strategies for several…
NOAA Fisheries recently released an updated estimate of recreational billfish landings in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as commercial and recreational landings of swordfish, thus far in 2017. From January…
We now know a little bit more about the massive marlin that was caught off Hawaii nearly a decade ago. On September 1, 2009, three anglers landed a blue marlin…
Humans have known for centuries that fish are attracted to floating objects. Fishermen have taken advantage of this behavior by fishing around palm fronds, seaweed patches, and any debris that…
Following the wrath of Hurricane Irma came the destruction: downed trees, debris thrown across roadways, docks uplifted from their posts, boats sunken or tossed on land, and in some cases…
The Atlantic bluefin tuna General category fishery for large-medium and giant bluefin tuna closes Thursday October 5, 2017 for roughly two months. This comes just four days after the October…
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (and other highly migratory species, HMS) convened mid-September in Madrid, Spain specifically to discuss management of tropical tunas followed by the…
TBF thanks its constituents for their continued support in keeping this issue at the forefront. Join the TBF community today to be part of our efforts on matters like
Bags of trash collected during Miami Seaquarium’s beach cleanup to commemorate their 62nd anniversary The Billfish Foundation strives to support its local south Florida community and partners with like-minded organizations…
Highly migratory species, including tunas and billfish, travel the world’s oceans and traverse national boundaries. Regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) work at the international level to manage such species, bringing…
The Atlantic bluefin tuna General category fishery for large-medium and giant bluefin tuna (73 in. curved fork length or larger) closes September 17, 2017 for the remainder of the month.…
Nova Southeastern University’s longline research in Florida’s east coast closed zone may damage its reputation for community relations and science. An associate professor from the university was granted an exempted…
For years, we have all heard about the amazing fishery and waters in Magdalena Bay, Mexico. From the hookups of doubles, triples, and quads of striped marlin with daily releases…
Western & Central Northern Pacific striped marlin, whose abundance, especially spawning-stock biomass, and size are greatly diminished and retain low priority within the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).…
The proposed sale is part of the leasing project announced by the DOI in 2021 to meet the Biden administration’s goal to deploy thirty gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity…
Last week, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) released the 2023 Economic Contributions of Recreational Fishing: U.S. Congressional Districts report, an update of previous data in partnership with Southwick Associates. The…
NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) are collaborating on a 5-year project to “evaluate the feasibility of bycatch hotspots” via communication networks in the Gulf of Mexico.…
A Step in the Right Direction for Sailfish in Costa Rica If you’re expecting to come across sailfish meat in the Costa Rican Canasta Basica, then you’re unfortunately going to…
Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, a group of federal representatives have continued to assess and develop recovery strategies for injured…
As reported recently in the Tico Times, a new Costa Rican tuna law requires all purse seine vessels (none of which are owned by Costa Rican interests) to fish outside of…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
