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…
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…
Traditional tagging of billfish for science produce very valuable data, especially with TBF’s and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) tagging databases spanning decades. In turn, the data helps support…
NOAA Fisheries increased the retention limits of large sharks in the Gulf of Mexico through the end of 2021. As of August 24th, fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico who…
As of 11:30pm on August 4th, 2021, fishing via the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category is closed. NOAA Fisheries announced the closure because the 277.9 mt subquota for June through…
This month the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) accepted applications for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) for which decisions will be made in September for the following fishing year. One application…
The current proposed Amendment 13 to the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan may reallocate the U.S. Atlantic quota share of Bluefin Tuna among Fishing Categories (Angling, Longline, General,…
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) approved Amendment 12 to the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which adds bullet and frigate mackerel as ecosystem component (EC) species. EC…
On May 11, 2021 at 11:30pm, the Northern Area Trophy Bluefin Fishery closed to angling. It will remain closed for the remainder of the year. The Northern Area is the…
As of May 4 at 11:30pm, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Gulf of Mexico Incidental Trophy Fishery is closed. This means that no anglers may land, possess, or retain…
NOAA Fisheries closed the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category for the Southern Area Trophy Fishery on March 1st, 2021. This closure will last all year, ending on December 31st, 2021.…
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,…
NOAA Fisheries recently released economic impact figures caused by COVID-19 on the U.S. fishing and seafood industry, including wild harvest, aquaculture, and the recreational charter/for-hire sector. Most recreational charter operations…
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…
NOAA Fisheries transferred 19.5 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna from the Reserve Category to the General Category. This action will go into effect on December 1st, 2020 and…
The Billfish Foundation recently endorsed the Conservation of America’s Shoreline Terrain and Aquatic Life (COASTAL) Act and the Opening Federal Financial Sharing to Heighten Opportunities for Renewable Energy (OFFSHORE) Act.…
NOAA Fisheries announced landings updates for Atlantic swordfish, billfish, and tunas, which includes recreational billfish and bluefin tuna landings from January 1st through June 30, 2020. But swordfish and non-bluefin…
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…
A recent Presidential Proclamation opened waters, closed in 2016, to commercial fishing inside the 5,000 square miles of the designated Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, located 130 miles…
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…
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…
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…
U.S. Recreational commissioner Ellen Peel reflects on actions for Atlantic billfish, tuna and sharks FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., USA and ISTANBUL, Turkey – The recreational and commercial fishing industries in the…
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 Billfish Foundations’ global conservation and sportfishing tourism efforts will be highlighted in an opening day presentation August 10, at Brazil’s Pesca Sportfishing Trade Show in Sao Paulo. The trade…
The 26th Annual Offshore Fishing Championships (XXVI Edicion Campeonato de Pesca de Altura) from July 28-30 in the extremely prolific billfishing arena of the Canary Islands will also be the…
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. USA. –The Billfish Foundation (TBF) entered into an agreement with its conservation partner, the Costa Rica Sport Fishing Federation (FECOPT) and four participating Hilton Worldwide hotels in…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
