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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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August 31, 2020

Atlantic Billfish, Swordfish, and Tunas Landings Update

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…
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August 17, 2020

TBF Swordfish Data Represented at ICCAT Meeting

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…
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August 11, 2020

Northeast Canyons & Seamounts Opened to Commercial Fishing

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…
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August 3, 2020

Tag & Release Competition Update

Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of August 3, 2020. If a category is missing,…
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July 28, 2020

TBF’s 2020 Conservation So Far

This‌ ‌year‌ ‌has‌ ‌brought‌ ‌immense‌ ‌changes‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌world,‌ ‌but‌ ‌The‌ ‌Billfish‌ ‌Foundation’s‌ ‌dedication‌ ‌to‌ ‌conserving‌ ‌billfish‌ ‌and‌ ‌enhancing‌ ‌recreational‌ ‌fishing‌ ‌opportunities‌ ‌remains‌ ‌steadfast.‌ ‌A‌ ‌few‌ ‌actions‌ ‌TBF‌ ‌has‌ ‌advanced‌…
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July 16, 2020

2020 Billfish Recaptures Update

The most important data received through TBF’s Tag & Release Program is recapture data. A recapture occurs when a tagged billfish is caught by a second angler subsequent to the…
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July 14, 2020

TBF SUBMITS COMMENTS FOR AMENDMENT 7 FOR BLUEFIN TUNA MANAGEMENT

On January 10,The Billfish Foundation (TBF) submitted official comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for Draft Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for…
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July 2, 2020

Summer Tournament Update

The Billfish Foundation is a proud beneficiary of tournaments that support billfish conservation either by limiting billfish catches to all release, setting size limits to minimize the number of billfish…
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June 30, 2020

Non-Longline Fisheries Should Be Allocated More Swordfish

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,…
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June 25, 2020

TBF Cautions Caribbean Swordfish Retention Expansion

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…
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June 24, 2020

NOAA Increases Commercial Swordfish Retention

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…
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June 12, 2020

TBF Intern Integrates Angler Knowledge into Fisheries Management

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…
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May 29, 2020

Tag & Release Competition Update

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,…
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May 21, 2020

Atlantic Trophy Bluefin Fishery Closure

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…
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May 20, 2020

Atlantic Billfish, Swordfish, and Tunas Landings Update

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…
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May 6, 2020

2019 Conservation Record

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…
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May 1, 2020

Hard Caps Accepted for Pacific Gillnet Fishery

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…
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April 30, 2020

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Retention Adjustment

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…
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April 21, 2020

Tag & Release Competition Rule Changes

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…
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April 17, 2020

Blue Marlin Conservation Record 2019

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…
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April 9, 2020

Sailfish Conservation Record 2019

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…
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April 3, 2020

White Marlin Conservation Record 2019

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…
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March 31, 2020

New Federal Rule Changes

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…
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March 30, 2020

A Note Regarding COVID-19

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…
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