NOAA Fisheries is doubling the number of swordfish allowed to be harvested by commercial fisheries. These expanded retention limits apply to vessels issued a Swordfish General Commercial permit or an…
For years, members of the sportfishing community have felt that scientists and fisheries managers should consult those on the water and in the industry when making decisions. Our community is…
Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of May 28, 2020. If a category is missing,…
The Northern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Trophy Fishery will officially close as of 11:30pm on May 21, 2020. It will remain closed for the remainder of 2020. This closure…
NOAA Fisheries announced landings updates for Atlantic swordfish, billfish, and tunas, including bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, and albacore. This update include all landings between January 1st and March 31st of…
The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Program. We received over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records for billfish and tunas. These data are used by researchers and management organizations…
On February 7th, the National Marine Fisheries Service published a final ruling on the implementation of hard caps for drift gillnet fisheries (DGN) in the Pacific. These fisheries target thresher…
NOAA has announced big changes in daily retention limits for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean. These changes increase retention for those operating with an HMS Angling permit or an…
Our tag and release competition is a popular and fun way for anglers/crews to be involved in supporting TBF and billfish science since 1990. With numerous categories that vary by…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
The National Marine Fisheries Service’s recently issued its final decision on Gear Restricted Areas (GRA) and Weak Hook use by pelagic longline vessels. These decisions ARE NOT related to the…
During the present COVID-19 pandemic, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) staff and board members have great empathy for each individual and company who is suffering physically and economically. Each TBF staff…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) staff proudly announces the winners of its most prestigious awards for 2020. This year’s winners include three distinguished gentlemen, who made exemplary contributions to advancing billfish…
Born and raised in Baltimore Maryland, artist George Kalwa has been captivated by the ocean his entire life. An artist since birth, Kalwa began painting and making fishing lures as…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
NOAA Fisheries announced landings updates for Northern Atlantic swordfish and tunas, including bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, and northern albacore. This update includes all landings of these species from January 1…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records. In 2019 alone, over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records were…
Raising Bills, hosted by Kristen and David Salazar of Casa Vieja Lodge (CVL), has become one of the most highly anticipated events during the Miami International Boat Show. Industry leaders…
For the second year in a row, Costa Sunglasses hosted their Conservation Village in the Miami International Boat Show to educate showgoers about ocean conservation and encourage them to help…
Love was in the air during The Billfish Foundation’s 2019 Tag & Release Awards Ceremony on February 14th, 2020 at Jungle Island’s Bloom Ballroom. The night was made possible through…
Miami, FL – The Big Game Room, the place to explore the latest that sport fishing has to offer is celebrating this year. Ten years ago, the producers of the…
What do you get with you combine creative high school students, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), and blank mounts from King Sailfish Mounts? After a several weeks, you get beautifully unique…
On December 18th 2012, The Billfish Foundation submitted a letter on behalf of its members regarding the potential issuance of Exempted Fishing Permits (EMPs) that would allow longline vessels to…
The Billfish Foundation is proud to announce the Award Winners for the 2012 Tag and Release Competition. This year TBF received nearly 7,000 tag and release reports from all over…
Ever wonder how scientists and The Billfish Foundation (TBF) learn more about billfish? Well, The Billfish Foundation is proud to release a short movie called ‘Moneyfi$h’, a Waterlust film on…
A special exhibit, “ART & THE BILLFISH,” done by the by members from the National Art Honor Society & Photography Club, many of whom are Marine Magnet students, all from…
Santa Marta, Colombia – On November 4, 2012 The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and the Secretariat of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)…
The start of 2012 has been a success for The Billfish Foundation and the conservation that we do. From all over the world, TBF members have sent pictures highlighting another…
The TBF Experience is giving away trips to top bill fishing destinations with some of the best captains in the world. Join The Billfish Foundation, and you could win the…
On October 26, 2012 come celebrate a night to remember at TBF’s 26th Annual Gala Fundraiser with Aquatic Culinary Creations, Live Entertainment, and both silent and live auctions while you…
FT LAUDERDALE, Florida, USA — Ms. Ellen Peel, the much respected president and CEO of The Billfish Foundation, who has also served for three years as a U.S. representative to…
Paul Veale, an alumnus of the Southern Methodist University, won our fourteenth Collegiate Billfish National Championship (CBNC) Costa Sunglasses drawing. He won by being an active member of The Billfish…
KLHS0OjJ8 I am sure many of you have seen this video already and TBF wanted to respond to what we saw in the view. The excessive killing of the juvenile…
FT LAUDERDALE, Fla., — A gentleman sportsman long known for his work in conservation on many fronts, especially along the Pacific coast, Paxson H. Offield, received TBF’s Rybovich Lifetime Achievement…
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rica, one of the world’s premier sportfishing destinations, has named Herbert Nanne, and Monica Gutierrez to the country’s recently formed Sportfishing and Tourism Commission.…
The college football season has just begun with fall practice, who do you think will win it all this year? While you might not have a chance to actively participate…
Every year, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recognizes the captains, mates and anglers (including youth and ladies) who tag and release the most billfish in each of the world’s oceans. The…
We ask you to fill out our Yellow Tag Report Card which accompanies the billfish tags and submit those immediately. These yellow report cards display the series of tag report…
If you aren’t already a fan of The Billfish Foundation‘s Official Facebook page, please click on over and join now! Once you get there, “like” the page to get the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The NMFS has achieved predator-rich relationships with sharks and other species beyond what some scientists describe as “equilibrium.” The result is heavy shark predation of other fish stocks important to…
The member nations, including the U.S., of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the international treaty fishery management organization for Atlantic highly migratory species, approved a…
With the recent Executive Order (EO), recreational fishing gear, bottom trawls, and pelagic longline are viewed the same as all other fishing gear when it comes to designating Marine Protected…
With sadness and pride The Billfish Foundation (TBF) honors the late John “Jack” P. Duvall, Chairman of its Board of Directors for the second time, who passed away recently. Jack,…
Stephen “Steve” Levi, a beloved TBF member and passionate angler, unfortunately died in an auto accident on January 8 while in Biloxi, MS. Steve, as he was known, lit up…
Captain Chris Sheeder grew up in Hawaii where the offshore fishing bug bit him hard at age 11 during his first trip, a treat for making good grades. He was…
Recreational fishing may get displaced by aquaculture/mariculture if we don’t give current government plans close scrutiny. NOAA/NMFS, federal Fishery Management Councils, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environment Protection…
Charter and private recreational fishing captains primarily are conscientious in practicing conservation-smart measures for their business depends on the availability of fish. Most billfishing captains practice catch and release, some…
Through its 30-year old tagging program, supported by 190,000 voluntary angler-reported tag reports from around the world, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) assists scientists in gaining a better understanding of billfish’s…
All non-longline swordfish fisheries are required to use handgear – handline, harpoon, commercial rod and reel, green-stick and bandit gear. Handgear takes far less bycatch than does pelagic longline gear,…
Representatives from The Billfish Foundation attended a recent meeting with NOAA in which a swordfish retention expansion was discussed in the Caribbean. This proposed expansion applies to vessels in USVI…
During the present COVID-19 pandemic, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) staff and board members have great empathy for each individual and company who is suffering physically and economically. Each TBF staff…
Raising Bills, hosted by Kristen and David Salazar of Casa Vieja Lodge (CVL), has become one of the most highly anticipated events during the Miami International Boat Show. Industry leaders…
The Billfish Foundation is in communication with BlueWater Magazine’s Tim Simpson (a TBF Board Member) in Australia who made it clear that the devastating fires continue impacting humans, including those…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
