As the challenge to mitigate climate change gains momentum worldwide, the recreational fishing community must work to help identify waters for closure. This is especially true in light of the…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with 260,000 records by 150,000 anglers. In 2020 alone, TBF anglers and captains tagged, released, or…
The Billfish Foundation maintains the largest private tag and release database in the world, with over 260,000 records by over 150,000 anglers. In 2020 alone, TBF anglers and captains tagged,…
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 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…
The Billfish Foundation’s 2021 Tag & Release Awards Ceremony took place on February 12th on Facebook Live. Like our 2020 Gala, the Awards Ceremony was virtual due to COVID-19. While…
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…
The 2021 Tag & Release Ceremony presented by King Sailfish Mounts, Dekit, Viking Service Center, Costa Sunglasses and Floy Tag is virtual this year! It will be held via Facebook…
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…
At the end of 2019, The Billfish Foundation announced the Juvenile Billfish Project. The Juvenile Billfish Project was created with our friend Dr. Freddy Arocha to fill the massive gap…
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…
With the year coming to a close, we thank you for your support, as we reflect on TBF’s key contributions in 2020. To stay up-to-date on all things billfish, become a…
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…
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.…
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 deadline for tagging and releasing billfish for The Billfish Foundation’s 2019-2020 Tag and Release Competition was on October 31st, 2020. All records must received by TBF by the end…
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.…
The Billfish Foundation’s first ever Virtual Gala ended Friday, October 30th, after weeks of build-up and excitement! Beginning October 16th, TBF supporters joined in to support billfish conservation online with…
The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Program is the cornerstone of our conservation and advocacy. We are proud to maintain the largest private tag and release database in the world,…
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…
In October, the students in South Broward High School’s Marine Policy class participated in their annual mock debates about billfish policy as they worked together to create a management plan…
Russell Nelson, The Billfish Foundation’s Chief Scientist and a former leader of the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission, has passed away. His unexpected death is a loss to those who knew…
Look for TBF at the 54th edition of The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show(FLIBS) running from Thursday, October 31st – Monday November, 4th. FLIBS promoters forecast this year’s event to…
With billfishing at its peak in many destinations worldwide, TBF and TrollPro.comwould love to see your amazing fishing videos. Similar to our monthly photo contest, we will reward you with…
Encountering a blue marlin is quite a feat in itself, but seeing one this small is extremely rare. Richard Brackett from Charleston, South Carolina contacted us about catching a small…
For college students, the first week of school is always one that is full of anxiety of new classes and coming to the conclusion that your summer is officially over.…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is proud to announce that Costa Sunglasses is TBF’s newest Tag and Release Program partners. They join King Sailfish Mounts, Pelagic Gear, and Bisbee’s Black and…
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…
The first annual Sailfish Brewing Company’s Tag & Release Amber Festival was held on July 20th at Sailfish Brewery in Fort Pierce, Florida to bring awareness and generate funds for…
On July 3,The Billfish Foundation submitted their official comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as part of the scoping process for the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012. Signed…
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…
Andrés Carrasco Martínez Do you have any amazing billfishing pictures? We’d love to see them AND reward you with some free stuff ! The Billfish Foundation and HookBuzz.comare proud to announce a monthly…
Established in 1990, The Billfish Foundation’s Tag and Release Program is the largest private billfish tagging database in the world and the cornerstone of TBF’s conservation and advocacy efforts. With…
Not many people want to go back to school, one time through is enough for many, but that is exactly what The Billfish Foundation’s Peter Chaibongsai did last week at…
On May 2, 2013 The Billfish Foundation submitted their official comments for Draft Amendment 8 for swordfish management in the United States as part of the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory…
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 Billfish Foundation would like to welcome Pelagic Gear as a new Tag & Release Sponsor! We are excited to have them on board to support and promote TBF’s Tag…
On May 1, nearly 10,000 students from across South Florida learned about weather and billfish at the eighth annual CBS 4 Weather Day. This event took place prior to the…
The winner of TBF’s first Sid Johnson Memorial Conservation Trophy was won by team Vesper from Trinidad for releasing the most billfish during the 2012 Southern Caribbean Billfish Circuit. The…
The Billfish Foundation would like to welcome Bisbee’s Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fund as a new Grand Slam Sponsor! We are excited to have them on board and working with…
Cam V. Sigler, Sr. age 71, passed away March 20, 2013 following a year- long battle with cancer. Cam was famously recognized as the man in the “Broad Brimmed Hat”…
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission also opposes this, read their official comments below. Recently, the NMFS received an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from Dr. David Kerstetter, Nova Southeastern…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recently submitted comments to the proposed regulations included in Amendment 5b to the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan – regarding the reduction of…
On December 12th, The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) submitted official comments on Pacific Bluefin Tuna (PBFT) being potentially listed in the Endangered Species Act. Learn why PBFT potential listing would be…
The FMC is accepting public comment on its consideration of harvest specifications under an Exempted Fishing Permit for highly migratory fish caught by longline vessels fishing within the U.S. West…
TBF’s Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition, staged out of Port Eads, which is 84.5 miles south of New Orleans, 24 miles south of the southernmost road in…
The Billfish Conservation Act, which was signed into law in October 2012 with the intent of prohibiting the sale of billfish or billfish products, has not yet been implemented by…
COAST magnet program students at Cutler Bay Senior High School identify themselves as “Tiger Sharks” and focus their studies on marine and environmental conservation leading to responsible stewardship and sustainability…
The Billfish Foundation’s newest International Billfish Conservation Record is now available digitally! The Conservation Record includes the 2014 Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, summary of all tag, release & recapture…
The three words “Our Florida Reefs” currently generate more angst with Florida anglers than most any others. The reason, fear that all fishing in large swaths of state waters that…
This summer’s Gulf of Mexico’s tournament season began “white hot” with good numbers of marlin, including large ones, and bluefin tuna, which presented unexpected excitement for anglers in the region.…
NMFS Adjusts the General Category Daily Retention Limit for June-August 2016 to Five Fish May 11, 2016 Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is…
The South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI), coordinated under Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, momentum is driven by a tax exempt organization 501 (c) (3)…
Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service April 20, 2016 Today National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces adjustments to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits that apply to vessels permitted in…
Effective as of 11:30 p.m. (EST), April 10, 2016 the Angling category for large medium and giant “trophy” bluefin tuna (73” or greater) in the southern area (see image below)…
The Billfish Foundation regularly represents recreational interests and discusses issues surrounding management of billfish and tuna here in US Atlantic waters. This past month, a number of important topics including…
Due to popular demand of our current regional awards in South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, TBF is excited to announce the expansion of our regional competitions to include Cape Verde and the Hawaiian Islands. These…
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…
The Billfish Foundation is pleased to make available our annual Conservation Record, noting 2013 Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients, 2013 Tag & Release Competition winners, and data analysis from this year’s…
When the US was in the midst of a recession (2007 – 2009), TBF saw a significant reduction in tag and release reports, and it comes as no surprise; the…
In recent years, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has taken great steps to recognize the importance of recreational fishing across the nation and their research continues to reveal the substantial…
It comes as good news to learn of CFOOD, a group of well respected scientists that came together “out of frustration with erroneous stories about fisheries sustainability” to “set the record…
This past June, Biscayne National Park released its new General Management Plan (GMP) to guide actions over the next 20 years in preserving and protecting the shallow water coral reef…
The NMFS recently released its Discussion Draft Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Policy to serve as guiding principles for the agency’s decision making over the long term. NOAA defines EBFM “as…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
TBF SUBMITS COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT 5B – DUSKY SHARKS