News

March 25, 2014

RECREATIONAL FISHING AND BOATING COMMUNITY CALLS ON CONGRESS TO REVAMP MARINE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Washington, D.C. – Congress is currently revising the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, the law that governs our nation’s marine resources. Recreational saltwater anglers and the sportfishing and boating…

March 24, 2014

PALAU ANNOUNCES A BAN OF ALL COMMERCIAL FISHING

On February 4th, 2014 the president of the Republic of Palau, Tommy Remengesau Jr., announced to the United Nation’s his intention to become the first country to close its entire…

March 10, 2014

BERMUDA’S PREMIER ORDERS EEZ NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN HAMILTON DECLARATION

Photo Credit: Bonnier On March 4th the Premier of Bermuda, Craig Cannonier, ordered that Bermuda’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) not be included within the Hamilton Declaration, a multi-lateral agreement for…

March 6, 2014

2014 TAG AND RELEASE CEREMONY RECAP

On February 13, 2014 The Billfish Foundation honored conservation achievements at the 2014 Tag and Release Ceremony held at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom in front of a crowd of more than…

January 15, 2014

WELCOME CASA VIEJA LODGE AS A TAG & RELEASE PROGRAM SPONSOR!

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is proud to announce that Casa Vieja Lodge is TBF’s newest Tag and Release Program partner. They join King Sailfish Mounts, Pelagic Gear, and Bisbee’s Black…

January 13, 2014

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…

January 7, 2014

TBF ANNOUNCES THE 2013 TAG AND RELEASE AWARD WINNERS

The Billfish Foundation is proud to announce the Award Winners for the 2013 Tag and Release Competition. This year TBF received nearly 7,500 tag and release reports from all over…

December 19, 2013

A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR AUSTRALIA

Recreational fishing organizations in Australia are applauding the newly elected Liberal Party’s plans to suspend and reform the management plans for the nation’s network of marine reserves. The newly appointed…

December 11, 2013

Photo Contest Winners

December 11, 2013

TBF/TrollPro Video Contest Winners

We asked for some of your best fishing videos and man did you guys respond! Each month, TBF and TrollPro.com would love to see your fishing videos and you could win a…

December 5, 2013

Le Cirque – TBF’s 2013 Gala and Dinner!

December 5, 2013

2013 ICCAT NEGOTIATIONS PROTECTS U.S. SWORDFISH AND BLUEFIN SHARE

Photo Courtesy of Brian Cota The annual negotiations by member nations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) concluded in late November following intense negotiations over…

November 25, 2013

HMS Amendment 7 – Bluefin Tuna

Draft Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for bluefin tuna was released in August of 2013 with possible alternatives for managing domestic bluefin tuna. The…

November 15, 2013

66TH ANNUAL GULF & CARIBBEAN FISHERIES INSTITUTE

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…

October 28, 2013

TBF TALKS BILLFISH ADVOCACY IN CLASSROOM

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…

October 24, 2013

Bermuda – Potential Marine Reserve Could Stop Fishing in The Blue Marlin Capital

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…

October 11, 2013

TBF MOURNS THE LOSS OF TBF CHIEF SCIENTIST, RUSSELL NELSON

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…

October 9, 2013

Get Hooked – Why People Love to Fish

October 2, 2013

COME SEE WHAT’S NEW AT TBF DURING THE FORT LAUDERDALE BOAT SHOW!

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…

October 1, 2013

INTRODUCING THE TBF/TROLLPRO MONTHLY VIDEO CONTEST!

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…

September 20, 2013

“BABY” BLUE MARLIN STORY

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…

September 13, 2013

NMFS RELEASES UPDATES FOR BLUEFIN TUNA AND SWORDFISH MANAGEMENT

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently released the Final Rule for Swordfish Management (Amendment 8) and a Draft Rule for Bluefin Tuna Management (Amendment 7). Both have particularly important…

September 4, 2013

COSTA GREEKFEST 2013

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.…

August 30, 2013

GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL MEETS IN NEW ORLEANS

On August 28, TBF attended the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. Composed of Governors from each of the five Gulf States and representatives from six…

March 6, 2017

The Billfish Foundation’s International Tag & Release Awards – 2016 Award Winners

January 24, 2017

TBF’S TAGGING PROGRAM HERALDED

A recently released analysis of the NMFS Cooperative Tagging Program between January 2006 and December 2015 by Caitlyn Savoia, a graduate student at the University of Miami, documented that during…

January 19, 2017

TBF WELCOMES 20ECHO AS A TAG & RELEASE PROGRAM SPONSOR!

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) proudly announces that 20echo is its newest Tag and Release Program sponsor, joining Casa Vieja Lodge, Costa Sunglasses, Garmin, King Sailfish Mounts, Pelagic Gear, and Yeti in support of the scientific data collecting program.…

January 16, 2017

2016 TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION WINNERS

The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release Award winners, the “who’s who” in the billfishing world will be honored during the International Tag and Release Awards Ceremony at Miami’s Jungle…

December 5, 2016

The Billfish Foundation’s Annual Gala “Back to the 80s”

TBF’s “Back to the 80’s, When it all Began” 30th Anniversary Gala was a fun success! TBF’s annual party has become THE sportfishing event to attend during the week of…

December 1, 2016

MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT TBF!

Our success would not have been possible without the support of countless individuals and organizations. Please take a few moments to review the many ways you can give financially to…

December 1, 2016

MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT TBF!

Members and friends of The Billfish Foundation have a long tradition of generous giving to support the many vital programs furthering the mission of conserving billfish worldwide. Since its founding…

November 3, 2016

BACK TO THE 80’S LIVE AUCTION PREVIEW

Take a peek at some of the items we have in store for you to bid on for our live auction at our annual fundraiser, Back to the 80’s! Be…

September 13, 2016

TBF MOBILE APPLICATION GOES LIVE!

Over the past 26 years, the sportfishing community has provided The Billfish Foundation (TBF) with over 220,000 tag and release records, making it the largest private billfish database worldwide. The data received helps marine researchers gain insight…

September 13, 2016

TBF MOBILE APPLICATION GOES LIVE!

September 12, 2016

UPDATED STANDINGS FOR 2016 ANNUAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION

Fall is almost here, and that means the competition year is winding down. Here are the current standings for the 2016 International Tag & Release competition. Those of you in…

September 12, 2016

UPDATED 2016 GULF OF MEXICO MARLIN TAGGING COMPETITION STANDINGS

Tournament season is coming to a close which means opportunities to get out there are getting fewer and the competition is stiff. Here are the current standings for the 2016…

August 5, 2016

Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition

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…

July 25, 2016

TBF’S JUNIOR ANGLER PROGRAM

Do you remember where, when, and what you used to catch the first fish that got you “hooked” on fishing? Who were you with and how did that singular experience…

July 6, 2016

Billfish Conservation Record Now Available – Analyzing 2014 data

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…

June 8, 2016

Join the Satellite Tagging Expedition!

Be a Conservation Hero, Support TBF’s Satellite Tagging Expedition! Review the proposal to the right or contact us today to receive a copy by email or in the mail! tbf@billfish.org

May 4, 2016

THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2016 RYBOVICH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

For Immediate Release – May 4, 2016 Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA – Today, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the world’s leading…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING TWO NEW REGIONAL COMPETITIONS!

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…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING THE HAWAII REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION!

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…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING THE CAPE VERDE REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION

Courtesy of the Big Oh For the past several years, winners of TBF’s International Tag & Release Competition blue marlin categories have all come out of Cape Verde and it…

April 6, 2016

2016 TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION UPDATE

Just when it seems that the excitement from last year’s Tag & Release Award Ceremony has begun to wind down, we’ve started ramping up for the 2016 competition. This year…

March 7, 2016

Billfish Conservation Record – Analyzing 2013 Data

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…

March 7, 2016

The Billfish Foundation’s International Tag & Release Awards – 2015 Award Winners

Anglers, captains and mates worldwide are the vital elements needed to provide The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release program the valuable data required to further billfish science and ensure…

March 3, 2016

TBF TAG & RELEASE CEREMONY RECAP

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL- Anglers, captains and mates worldwide are the vital elements needed to provide The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release program the valuable data required to further billfish…

March 4, 2019

FADS FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO APPROVED

The Proposed Okaloosa County (north central Gulf of Mexico) recreational fishing Buoy/Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) System was approved as a means to improve catches of billfish and other species. The…

February 28, 2019

Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Allocation Update

The Billfish Foundation recently submitted comments again to The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council regarding the future management of a dolphin (mahi mahi) and wahoo fishery. The Amendment looks to…

February 23, 2019

Kicking Plastic with Costa Sunglasses at the Miami Boat Show

The Billfish Foundation was honored to be a part of Costa Sunglasses’ Conservation Village, within the Miami Boat Show this year. The venue provided the platform for many conservation organizations,…

January 7, 2019

Modern Fish Act Signed Into Law

Courtesy of Jasen Gast – Rehab The Modern Fish Act (MFA), signed into law at the end of 2018, is to improve recreational fishing landings data, increase allocation of fish…

December 26, 2018

Counting Blue Marlin in the Ocean

How many blue marlin are in the ocean? Counting them isn’t exactly feasible (though you could have fun trying!) so scientists rely on catches and how much effort these catches…

December 13, 2018

Changes in Mahi-Mahi allocation coming up in the Atlantic?

Fly Navarro and Adrienne Katz with a nice mahi-mahi The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is considering management options to Amendment 10 on the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan. The…

December 12, 2018

Changes in Reporting for HMS Tournaments

Beginning January 1, 2019, all Atlantic highly migratory species tournaments will be required to submit catch summaries. An Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) tournament is a tournament that awards points…

December 12, 2018

Deep-set Buoy Gear set for California

Deep-set buoy gear finally has management alternatives for use in a swordfish fishery off southern California, where the fishery will be a limited entry to approximately 300 commercial vessels. Once…

December 10, 2018

Chub Mackerel Fishery in the Mid-Atlantic?

Illustration courtesy of DRNEC of Delaware Chub mackerel, which are important prey species for billfish and other apex predators and to the healthy functioning of the ecosystem, are being considered…

November 18, 2018

ICCAT Marlin Update

Very late in the year and not anticipated, landing limits for Atlantic marlin were raised in the international arena. It was the overfished status of Atlantic billfish that became the…

November 16, 2018

Recreational Billfish Landings Update

The table below provides preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish. …

November 15, 2018

Atlantic Blue Marlin Research

Atlantic blue marlin are considered by many in the sportfishing world to be THE pinnacle gamefish. A species targeted by tens of thousands anglers each year. But what do we…

October 27, 2018

Billfish Conservation Act Amendment Update

TBF was very pleased when the National Marine Fisheries Service staff announced the 2018 amended Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) must comply with the agency’s official Guidelines. The amended BCA prohibits…

October 13, 2018

Increase of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota

Good News Bluefin Tuna Anglers! The Angling Allocation of Atlantic bluefin tuna, beginning January 2019, increases by .3 of a metric ton or 661 pounds. This increase applies in each…

October 1, 2018

No More Driftnet Swordfish fishery Off Southern California

California Governor Signs Historic Law Governor Jerry Brown of California signed into law an act passed by his legislator to begin the phase out use of mile long commercial drift…

September 27, 2018

Learning to Fish Via Youtube?

Sportfishing is an art/skill that cannot be mastered quickly. It takes time, energy, failure, and money to become an accomplished angler. The interesting aspect of fishing is the pressure that…

September 20, 2018

Analysis of Minimum Length for Blue Marlin Tournaments

The Billfish Foundation’s newest Winthrop P. Rockefeller Ocean Program intern, Nick Becker, a recent graduate from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, worked with blue marlin tournaments out of…

September 5, 2018

Florida East Coast Closed Zone Will Remain Closed!

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is not issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would open the east coast Florida closed zone to pelagic longline vessels for the stated…

August 15, 2018

Atlantic Billfish Recreational Landings Update

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just released their preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale…

August 13, 2018

Passing of a Legend – Capt. Ron Hamlin

Hamlin was recognized not only for his expertise at placing anglers from all over the world on billfish, but also for his contributions to billfish conservation. His expertise at the…

August 13, 2018

Closing a Loophole in the Billfish Conservation Act

The amended Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) passed Congress and was signed into law this month, August 2018. The amended BCA prohibits Pacific billfish landed in Hawaii and in the U.S. Pacific…

August 8, 2018

Sargassum Invasion

Weed, Weed – too much of a good thing? Offshore anglers know seeing and fishing a floating Sargassum weed line is a good thing for it they usually are very…

July 25, 2018

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) Angling Category – Northern Area Trophy Fishery Closing

NOAA Fisheries will close the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery for large medium and giant “trophy” BFT (measuring 73” or greater) in the northern area effective 11:30 p.m. local time on…

July 13, 2018

Billfish Policy Update – July 2018

To keep you up to date and for your convenience, we have summarized some of the latest policies that effect billfish and our community. The Council recommended actions on: Keep up…

April 3, 2025

New Tag & Release Category – TBF Legends

April 3, 2025

Marlin Fly Week

March 14, 2025

Partnering for Billfish Conservation: New Integrated Reporting System (VESL) Simplifies Data Collection

March 13, 2025

International Tagging Initiative

March 13, 2025

Annual Tag & Release Ceremony

January 30, 2025

The Book on Travel Fishing

November 6, 2024

Anglers We Will Miss: Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear

June 11, 2024

Recapture on Japanese Longliner!

March 10, 2024

New Striped Marlin Study

December 1, 2023

76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Recap

May 4, 2023

Costa’s Marlin-Fly Project

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…

May 1, 2023

Pacific Striped Marlin Rebuilding Plan

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).…

April 20, 2023

Wind lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico

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…

March 13, 2023

New Report of the Economic Contributions by Recreational Fishing Released

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…

January 21, 2023

Gulf of Mexico Hotspots Mapping Initiative

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.…

December 6, 2022

Costa Rican Government Supports Sailfish Conservation

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…

September 12, 2022

Gulf of Mexico Restoration Plan

Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, a group of federal representatives have continued to assess and develop recovery strategies for injured…

September 12, 2022

Costa Rica’s Tuna Reform Law – Billfish Impacts Uncertain

As reported recently in the Tico Times, a new Costa Rican tuna law requires all purse seine vessels (none of which are owned by Costa Rican interests) to fish outside of…

August 10, 2022

New Findings on Striped Marlin Migrations

The following was released by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group and the Large Pelagics Research Center: The most comprehensive effort to date to characterize striped marlin (Kajikia audax) movements in the Central North…

August 10, 2022

Estimating Pelagic Longline Bycatch

Over the years, Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear, TBF’s billfish scientist has developed “species distribution models” for highly migratory species that estimate time-varying, three-dimensional distribution of habitat. These models are useful…

June 24, 2022

Fight Against Illegal Fishing by Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA)

Countries are robbed of an estimated $26-50 billion annually due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). IUU fishing is defined as any fishing operations outside of current regulations…

June 15, 2022

Effects of Circle Hooks on Sharks and Rays – IATTC Review

In March of this year, the 1st Circle Hook Workshop of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) commenced. The goal was to analyze “scientific information regarding different circle hooks sizes…

June 3, 2022

Colombia and Panama Updates – June 2022

Sportfishing Banned in Colombia – Beginning in 2023 The Supreme Court of Colombia recently ruled that sportfishing, even catch and release, amounts to torture, thus prohibiting the sport in marine…

May 17, 2022

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Gulf of Mexico Fishery Update

After 11:30 p.m., May 17, 2022, fishermen aboard Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may not retain, possess, or land large medium or giant Atlantic…

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