NMFS transferred 90.5 metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna from the Reserve Category to the General Category for the remainder of this month to cover a 20.5 metric ton quota…
We would like to introduce our newest Winthrop P. Rockefeller Student Ocean intern, Adelaide Spain! She is currently a senior at the University of Miami studying Marine Affairs and Classics…
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…
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…
Following the implementation of Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Management Plan in May 2022, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) issued Regulatory Amendment 3 to…
Continued authorization of recreational fishing within the new Sanctuary is essential to the industry and continued great fishing opportunities for citizens throughout the U.S. The designation comes as part of…
East Coast anglers frustrated by the federal government’s failure to take any meaningful action to reduce Atlantic shark depredations on angler-hooked fish have scheduled a shark tournament for July 9.…
Sales of Offshore Commercial Wind Energy Leases off all U.S. coasts were first offered by BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the Interior) off the East Coast in…
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…
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…
Closed Zones Currently in Government Crosshairs The 20-year plus Closed Zones off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico that greatly improved recreational fishing in the regions, now…
The current National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) attempts to address the Atlantic shark depredation problem offers no realistic solution for reducing occurrences. The agency offered suggestions to mitigate the problem…
To identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOA), NOAA uses science-based guidance, economic assessments, and social support. Key Message: Why Is This Happening? On May 7, 2020, the White House issued an…
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…
TBF is excited to announce the release of its new tag and release web application. Complete with a more user-friendly interface, personalized fishing history, and a revamped mobile phone application,…
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…
Can you believe we are already halfway through our annual competition?!?! Listed below are current standings for top captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag &…
Amendment 13 to the HMS Fishery Management Plan – Bluefin Tuna Earlier in May 2022, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued its Final Environmental Impact Review (FEIR) of the…
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced increases to all Fishing Categories and has now defined what those limitations are for the Angling Category. Several months prior, TBF requested the…
New Florida Mahi Mahi (Dolphinfish) Regulations Create Inconsistencies with Federal Regulations Currently, the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) Amendment 10 for Dolphin-Wahoo allows 10 fish per person per…
The NMFS has achieved predator-rich relationships with sharks and other species beyond what some scientists describe as “equilibrium.” The result is heavy shark predation of other fish stocks important to…
A few months back, TBF requested the NMFS increase the allocation of Atlantic bluefin tuna to all segments within the Recreational Fishing Category. In March 2022, the agency announced increases…
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”…
Learn more about how you can help conserve billfish, by fishing responsibly, releasing your catch, and joining TBF! Become actively involved in TBF’s Tag & Release Program! Traditional tagging data…
In General Terms- The term “Billfish” refers to various predatory fish species typically belonging to the taxonomical family Istiophoridae. Their biological characteristics include a spear-like rostrum or “bill,” which is…
The beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) is a collection of small islands within the British West Indies is known for its white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs, and great…
Do you remember the first time you tied your first knot or caught your first fish? On April 7th 2013, young people and their parents did just that with the…
On a recent March afternoon along the beautiful intracoastal waterway in Jensen Beach, Florida, the first annual Slack Tide Guide Gathering was hosted byCosta, YETI, Simms, and Hell’s Bay Boat…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The General Category for Atlantic bluefin tuna will close beginning February 24th at 11:30pm and reopen on June 1st. This closure marks the fulfillment of the 100mt January subquota, which,…
The Angling Category for trophy Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Southern Area (the area south of Great Egg Inlet, New Jersey, 39°18’N lat) has already reached its 1.8 mt subquota,…
The 2011 required year-round use of weak hooks (15/0 carbon vs 16/0 steel for regularly used hook) by pelagic longline vessels fishing in the Gulf of Mexico was for 12…
The Gear Restricted Area (GRA) off Cape Hatteras implemented to reduce bluefin tuna bycatch by pelagic longline vessels now is open to the gear. The waters had been closed December…
NOAA Fisheries announced the final landings updates for Atlantic swordfish and tunas, including bluefin. This update includes all fish landed between January 1st and December 31st, 2019. It also released…
Pelagic longline “research” decisions not yet issued that could authorize the gear to fish inside waters closed for 19 and 20 years off of Florida’s east coast, Charleston and in…
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is looking for anglers and crews interested in tagging tuna in the Northern Atlantic. TBF is working with scientists from the Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging…
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is an international regional fishery management organization for highly migratory species (HMS) in the Atlantic, including billfish, tunas, and some…
While no action was taken by the federal Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) at its November meeting to advance further consideration of its recently proposed measure to consider authorizing a…
NOAA Fisheries announced landings updates for Atlantic swordfish and bluefin tuna. This update includes all fish landed between January 1st and October 31st of this year. For swordfish, a total…
TBF's Winthrop P. Rockefeller's Student Ocean Intern Program awards students who support billfish conservation and believe in responsible fisheries management.
