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…
Scientists at the University of Maine need Atlantic blue marlin that weigh over 800 lbs and Atlantic swordfish over 500 lbs, specifically their heads, and the fork length measurement. They are…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the world’s leading sportfishing conservation organization for marlin, sailfish, spearfish, and associated highly migratory fish, announces this year’s winners of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. TBF’s…
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…
TBF’s Annual Tag and Release Award Ceremony, held in February, was again a high-energy event during which top captains, anglers, and mates were honored for their conservation releases and data…
Under the proposed rule, NOAA Fisheries will establish RFDs every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from July 1 through November 30, 2023, and every Tuesday and Friday from December 1, 2023,…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is excited to announce and welcome aboard Willis Custom Yachts as a new Grand Slam level conservation partner. Willis Custom Yachts is committed to being the…
NOAA announced the closure of the Angling Category Southern Area Trophy Bluefin Tuna (the Southern Area is defined as the area south of 39°18’N lat. (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ),…
Robert “Fly” Navarro and Chester Brewer are currently seeking approval to serve on Fishery Management Councils (FMC) for the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Ellen Peel and The Billfish…
Based on the best available landings information, the adjusted 58.2-mt quota for the January through March time period has been reached and exceeded. Therefore, the fishery will be closed from…
NOAA Fisheries is requesting public comment on proposed regulations (88 FR 7661) to implement Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory…
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.…
The phasing out of large mesh drift gillnets in federal waters and the potential authorization of deep-set buoy gear (DSBG) as a more sustainable fisheries alternative are 2 positive changes…
A federal proposal may implement an extreme vessel speed restriction of 11.5 mph for vessels 35 feet and larger when motoring through zones designated to reduce vessel strikes of endangered…
Were you selected as a winner for the 2022 season and would like to attend TBF’s International Tag & Release Awards Ceremony? Here’s everything you need to know! Regardless of…
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…
A request to officially transition the California drift gillnet swordfish fishery from large mesh drift gillnets to alternative options was submitted under The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act (H.R.…
Following the overwhelming success of our Virtual Gala in 2020, we knew that we couldn’t return to solely in-person events. That’s why we are excited to announce our annual Holiday…
The deadline for The Billfish Foundation’s 2021-2022 Annual Tag & Release Competition was October 31st, 2022. All records must be received by TBF by the end of the day on…
What a night! From the funky band to the freaky deeky dance floor, to everyone’s stellar outfits, this was a night everyone is sure to remember! Or maybe they won’t…
Decision on Closed Zones Coming Soon Unfortunately, we are still fighting against pelagic longlining being reopened within specific closed zones. As you might remember from last year, an announcement proposing…
Extreme Vessel Speed Reductions Once again, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has failed to consider the effects of their decisions on the recreational fishing community. Their recent proposal, which…
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…
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…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is excited to announce and welcome aboard Fishing Vacations as a new sailfish level conservation partner. Fishing Vacations is a travel agency that focuses on offshore…
TBF’s newest project focuses on juvenile billfish for very little is known about them during their early life stages due to high mortality rates and a lack of reliable tracking…
With the year coming to a close, we thank you for your support, as we reflect on key achievements in 2019. Please consider joining TBF, if not already on board,…
Each year The Billfish Foundation recognizes the best of the best in the billfishing community to acknowledge the significant effort they contribute to our Tag & Release Program and billfish conservation.…
A multitude of characters, looking like they stepped straight out of Westeros, caused heads to spin and added lots of excitement to TBF’s gala, Gamefish on Thrones. Wildlings and Night’s…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is proud to announce our new partnership with Release Marine! Release Marine has been a supporter of TBF for years but will now officially be solidifying…
Anglers, captains, and mates! The TBF International Tag and Release Competition will end on October 31st, 2019. All fish caught after that date will not count towards this year’s competition.…
Attention all creatives! The Billfish Foundation is now accepting submissions for the 2020 Artist of the Year! Every year, TBF chooses one artist to highlight all year long. As the…
The first action plan from National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a proposed Amendment 13 for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna that included a tremendous array of options to modify how Atlantic…
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…
If you are captured by the passion, suspense and drama in the HBO Fantasy Series, Game of Thrones, step into that drama, costumed, on November 1, 2019, at the Harbor…
Over 30 award winners from all over the world came to be recognized as some of the top anglers, captains and mates for tagging and releasing the most billfish in…
WELCOME ABOARD! The Billfish Foundation is proud to announce the new Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean Program Interns for Spring 2019. This initiative carries on Win’s vision of responsible ocean…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is excited to announce the International Game Fish Tournament Observers (IGFTO) as a new Tag & Release Industry level sponsor. IGFTO support of our cornerstone program makes sense.…
Overall Award trophies Each year The Billfish Foundation recognizes the best of the best in the billfishing community to acknowledge the significant effort they contribute to our Tag & Release…
T-H Marine Joins The Billfish Foundation as Tag and Release Program Sponsor Fort Lauderdale, FL – January 9, 2019 – T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., of Huntsville, Alabama, announces it has…
What a night it was with Austin Powers and his entire cast of characters partying with other TBF friends at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort! Yeah Baby!!!! They shagged and…
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!…
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…
This past November, TBF staff members attended the 66th Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) conference hosted by the Harte Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies of Texas A&M…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) wants to make sure anglers in Bermuda are aware of recent developments calling for a no-take marine reserve in Bermudian waters. Organizations such as the PEW…
On July 25-28th, TBF’s Peter Chaibongsai took part in the Japan Game Fish Association’s (JGFA) Japan International Billfish Tournament (JIBT) off of Shimoda, Japan. Located several hundred miles south from…
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A report released today by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) reveals that sportfishing has been a major factor in attracting tourists to Panama providing a valuable fishing-based…
This month, Australia is on the brink of establishing the world’s largest network of marine reserves that will cover close to 900,000 square miles including vast zones that would restrict…
Going out fishing is great, but did you ever wonder how science is involved with sportfishing? The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) current educational program with LMR tackle, based out of Fort…
A recent decision to prohibit the commercial harvest of marlin in New Zealand waters represents another victory for billfish conservation. Last year a reevaluation of the management of billfish and…
The Billfish Foundation is a global leader in illustrating the social, economic, and environmental benefits of recreational fishing and fishing tourism activities. By uncovering the economic impact of recreational fishing…
Stock assessments provide the ability for scientists to evaluate changes in fish populations through time. For highly migratory species that travel thousands of miles, across entire ocean basins, this process…
Australia’s proposed network of marine reserves is threatening to close off close to a million square kilometers to anglers, but fortunately, several scientists and organizations have been working to try…
The beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) is a collection of small islands within the British West Indies is known for its white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs, and great…
Fort Lauderdale, FL – On March 19 and 20, stakeholders and experts from over 11 countries and 10 organizations descended upon south Florida and took part in a workshop to…
While many environmental groups are praising Australia and claiming victory, all is not said and done for the establishment of Australia’s National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) and…
On January 30, 2013 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the 90-day finding on the two petitions received from Mr. James Chambers and the Center For Biological Diversity (CBD)…
We all fish for different reasons. Whatever the motivation we build a collection of individual fishing accomplishments. Through this lifelong journey you will always remember who taught you to fish…
Over the past week, TBF’s President and the U.S. Recreational commissioner for the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Ellen Peel, attended and took part in vigorous…
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)…
Puntarenas, Costa Rica: In a groundbreaking move and through a joint effort between The Billfish Foundation and the Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation, commercial longlining will be closed in a 40-mile…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
