News

Get on Board
Facebook Youtube Instagram
Become a Member Today
Learn More
Ways to Help
Become a Member Today
Back to Home

The Billfish Foundation

News

Learn what’s happening in the world of billfish, including fisheries management, policy updates, and regulations that affect our community.

News

Updates and Insights

Filter by Type
August 5, 2019

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Transferred

Fifteen metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota was transferred from the Reserve Category to the Harpoon Category, bringing the total tonnage for the category to 91 metric tons and…
Read More
August 1, 2019

TBF Submitted Comments on Two NMFS Planned Actions

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…
Read More
August 1, 2019

International Tag & Release Competition Update

Blue Marlin Sailfish Swordfish White Marlin [av_hr class=’default’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av_uid=’av-kzz42b’] Blue Marlin Sailfish White Marlin [av_hr…
Read More
July 31, 2019

Satellite Tagging Expedition – Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin

TBF’s most recent satellite tagging expedition kicked off with a fantastic crowd all interested in learning more about blue marlin in the Gulf of Mexico and how to help with…
Read More
July 18, 2019

Tagging Tuna with ICCAT and AOTTP

The Billfish Foundation is currently engaging in a research project with Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program (AOTTP) in order to further the knowledge around lifecycles of yellowfin, bigeye, and…
Read More
July 15, 2019

Proposed Modifications to Pelagic Longline Bluefin Tuna Area-Based and Weak Hook Management Measures

NMFS proposes to modify the one-month closed zone off New Jersey and the spring two-month gear restricted area in the Gulf of Mexico to become Monitoring Zones with an annual…
Read More
July 12, 2019

Options to maximize Bluefin Tuna in the Atlantic Ocean

Amendment 13 to the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan proposes many options striving to maximize utilization of the U.S. bluefin quota.  Half of the options propose changes to the…
Read More
July 11, 2019

White Marlin Stock Assessment Update

The June 2019 assessment of white marlin’s relative abundance remaining in the water offered mixed results, “overfishing” had stopped, but the authorized catch limit is still being exceeded. So management…
Read More
July 9, 2019

Latest Bluefin Tuna In season Adjustment

The National Marine Fisheries Service is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily retention limit from three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip to ONE…
Read More
July 8, 2019

Help Keep Pelagic Longlines OUT of Closed Zones

The U.S. pelagic longline closed zones and gear restricted areas were established to reduce bycatch of juvenile swordfish by protecting nursery grounds, overfished marlin, sailfish, which remain overfished, large coastal…
Read More
June 27, 2019

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna In-Season Adjustment

Read More
June 26, 2019

Atlantic bluefin tuna inseason adjustment

Based on the best available landings information, NOAA Fisheries has determined that the subquota of 1.8 mt for the Angling category northern area trophy bluefin tuna fishery has been reached. The…
Read More
June 20, 2019

Swordfish General Commercial Permit Retention Limit Adjustment

NOAA Fisheries just announced an inseason change to the Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limits in the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions, as shown in the table…
Read More
June 12, 2019

New Exempted Fishing Permits for Longlines off US West Coast

Exempted Fishing Permits were issued by the Pacific Fishery Management Council on April 29, 2019 to two vessels to fish off the U.S. west coast in federal waters (Exclusive Economic Zone)…
Read More
June 7, 2019

More Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Allocation for Anglers?

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently released an Options Paper to amend the current Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) strategy, implemented to reduce incidental bycatch of bluefin, in the pelagic…
Read More
June 4, 2019

NMFS Discussing New Ways to Allow Commercial Fishing Vessels Inside Closed Zones

NEEDS ALL ANGLERS ATTENTION – The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) launched a new and very comprehensive process for evaluating the success or inefficiencies of current Pelagic Longline Closed Zones…
Read More
June 2, 2019

2019 Recreational Atlantic Billfish Landings Updates

NOAA just released the 1st quarter landing update for the recreational fishing community. While only 1 blue marlin has been landed in the 1st quarter, we expect the number of…
Read More
May 31, 2019

Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Gulf of Mexico Area Trophy Fishery Closure!

NOAA Fisheries has determined that the subquota of 1.8 mt for the Angling category Gulf of Mexico trophy bluefin tuna fishery has been reached. Trophy bluefin are those measuring 73…
Read More
May 14, 2019

Action Alert – Comments due for Forage Fish soon!

The Billfish Foundation submitted our comments to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to consider Bullet Tunas, Auxis rochei, and similar Frigate Mackerel, Auxis thazard to the dolphin/wahoo fishery management plan…
Read More
May 8, 2019

New Daily Limit to Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category

NOAA Fisheries is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits that apply to vessels permitted in the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category and the HMS Charter/Headboat category…
Read More
May 6, 2019

Gov’t Lessens Billfish Research Funding

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fishery Science Center, is further diminishes support for billfish research, now by not facilitating funding of a respected billfish scientist! This is a…
Read More
May 6, 2019

Clean Water Essential for Outdoor Recreation

EPA & Corp Proposal to Repeal Clean Water Rule – Anglers & Hunters Oppose The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Corps of…
Read More
May 1, 2019

Action Alert – Push for Passage of the Forage Fish Conservation Act

Saltwater ecosystem dynamics include not just the marine habitat, but also the creatures, overfishing, predator/prey interaction, pollution, temperature changes, etc.  Yet the primary fishery management law of the U.S., the…
Read More
April 18, 2019

Everglades Reservoir Bill

TBF joined many other recreational fishing organizations in calling on House Subcommittee on Energy and Water to approve $210 million dollars for the Army Corps of Engineers in support of…
Read More

Interested in Learning MOre?

Partners

Our billfish successes today are only possible with partner support. Click here to see who they are and how you can help support them!
View Partners

Ways to Help

Our success would not be possible without the support of our community. Review the ways you can support our efforts.
View Ways to Help

Internships

TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
View Internships

Featured

News

Read More

Join our Mailing List

Enter your email address here to stay up to date on the latest billfish news.

Small_EnvironmentalPartner_Horizontal_White-1 (1)

Working worldwide to advance the conservation of Billfish & associated species to improve the health of oceans & economies.

TBF's Efficiency

  • Programs: 87%
  • Admin & Fundraising: 13%
Last Updated: January 22nd, 2025

Advocacy

Partners

Research

Education

Events

Pages

Ways to HeLP

©2025 The Billfish Foundation, All Rights Reserved

Developed by Giant Titan