April 3, 2025

TBF & BFD Simplify Billfish Reporting

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and BFD (formerly Bluefin Data) have teamed up to create an exciting new opportunity for the future of billfish conservation. Together, they’ve integrated BFD’s electronic logbook application, VESL, with TBF’s Tag & Release Program, making it easier than ever for anglers and charter captains to contribute to billfish research and conservation efforts. Now, you can report data through TBF’s online database AND BFD’s new application, VESL.

This new partnership simplifies the process of reporting billfish, allowing anglers and captains to seamlessly submit both required Highly Migratory Species (HMS) data and TBF’s billfish tag and release information through a single platform, VESL. Now, the process is easier than ever for the fishing community, reducing the time and effort needed while improving the quality of data collected.

The data collected through this collaboration will play a crucial role in advancing billfish conservation. With over 290,000 data reports already submitted to TBF – mostly from the recreational sportfishing community – this integration will expand our efforts, bringing in data from charter boats and helping to give TBF a more detailed understanding of billfish populations and their movements. This collaboration represents an exciting step forward in reducing administrative barriers while increasing the impact of data sharing and supporting the long-term health of billfish populations. This innovative system not only enhances the quality of billfish conservation efforts but also sets the stage for future research and collaborative citizen science projects.

For more information, check out the project page here.

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and BFD (formerly Bluefin Data) have teamed up to create an exciting new opportunity for the future of billfish conservation. Together, they’ve integrated BFD’s electronic logbook application, VESL, with TBF’s Tag & Release Program, making it easier than ever for anglers and charter captains to contribute to billfish research and conservation efforts. Now, you can report data through TBF’s online database AND BFD’s new application, VESL.

This new partnership simplifies the process of reporting billfish, allowing anglers and captains to seamlessly submit both required Highly Migratory Species (HMS) data and TBF’s billfish tag and release information through a single platform, VESL. Now, the process is easier than ever for the fishing community, reducing the time and effort needed while improving the quality of data collected.

The data collected through this collaboration will play a crucial role in advancing billfish conservation. With over 290,000 data reports already submitted to TBF – mostly from the recreational sportfishing community – this integration will expand our efforts, bringing in data from charter boats and helping to give TBF a more detailed understanding of billfish populations and their movements. This collaboration represents an exciting step forward in reducing administrative barriers while increasing the impact of data sharing and supporting the long-term health of billfish populations. This innovative system not only enhances the quality of billfish conservation efforts but also sets the stage for future research and collaborative citizen science projects.

For more information, check out the project page here.

Get on Board

Get up to date information on events, news, and research on a constant basis. Submit your email now to join our exclusive newsletter.

Share this Story

Latest News

Shop TBF

TBF Signature Rope Hat
$35.00
Billfish Tagging Kits
$89.99
Billfish Foundation Tags
$24.00
Anetik Retro Long Sleeve
$55.00

Upcoming Events

Recent News

Exploring the Depths of Conservation: Dive into the latest updates and insights from The Billfish Foundation. Discover engaging stories and pioneering research in our ongoing commitment to marine preservation.

Interested in Learning More?

TBF provides a voice for billfish conservation and the recreational fishing community globally.
Our success would not be possible without the support of our community. Review the ways you can support our efforts.
TBF fosters strong billfish conservation ethics, helping anglers of all generations understand the importance of the recreational sportfishing industry and billfish

Get on Board

Join our Newsletter

Get up to date information on events, news, and research on a constant basis. Submit your email now to join our exclusive newsletter.

Explore Our Socials

Search TBF