2020 Conservation Record: Spearfish
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, released, or recaptured 7,000 billfish and tuna across the world. Of these 7,000 new records, 44 were of spearfish. Spearfish are the least represented billfish in the TBF dataset, making every new report that much more important. Thank you to everyone that tagged and released spearfish last year. Click here for information on our Tag and Release Program and here to purchase tagging equipment and other TBF items
2021 Tag & Release Awards Ceremony Recap
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 we missed seeing all of our award winners in person, we loved the opportunity to engage with our less local constituents who would not normally be able to attend the ceremony, but logged in to enjoy the online festivities with us. The Awards Ceremony kicked off with a weeklong online raffle wherein participants could purchase items from TBF’s online shop, shop.billfish.org, to earn raffle tickets. The winner took home
2021 Tag & Release Virtual Ceremony Information
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 Live on February 12th at 6 pm EST. To tune in, simply “like” our Facebook page, you will be notified on Facebook when we go live! Our livestream will celebrate the winners of the TBF Tag & Release Awards across the globe and include fun trivia questions and a special Ceremony cocktail recipe to enjoy during the event! To get you excited for the stream, we have fun things
2020 Tag & Release Competition Award Winners
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. Since its inception in 1990, the program has accrued over 260,000 tag and release records, becoming the largest private billfish tagging database in the world. In the last year alone, TBF has collected over 6,000 records! The information gathered through tag and release efforts is invaluable to increase our understanding and better our management of billfish and preserve the sport we love. This is only possible through the efforts
2019-2020 Tag & Release Competition Ends
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 of day on November 15th, 2020. There are two ways to submit your cards. The best way to ensure your cards are in on time is to submit them yourself at www.tagbillfish.org. If you do not want to do that, cards can be mailed to the address listed on the them. However, because COVID-19 has delayed shipping considerably, we recommend you mail your cards immediately if you intend
TBF Swordfish Data Represented at ICCAT Meeting
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 life history characteristics, including growth, reproduction, yearly movement and survival.  Rare is it to receive tagging data from the Mediterranean Sea, but recent tagging by captsins Rudy and Samuel Urbain provided such a surprise. In March, Drs. Folio Garibaldi and George Stirpes presented swordfish tagging data at a meeting of the Swordfish Species Group, within the International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) to help gain a better
Tag & Release Competition Update
Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of August 3, 2020. If a category is missing, it’s because there haven’t been enough fish to qualify. The competition runs through October 31, 2020 and all entries must be in by November 15. Please remember that you are only eligible to receive an award if you are an active member of The Billfish Foundation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Blue Marlin Sailfish Spearfish Swordfish White Marlin Black Marlin Blue Marlin
2020 Billfish Recaptures Update
The most important data received through TBF’s Tag & Release Program is recapture data. A recapture occurs when a tagged billfish is caught by a second angler subsequent to the tagging and release of a fish. Recapture data contributes toward gaining a better understanding of the species age and growth rates by comparing the reported estimated weight at the time of tagging with the estimated weight upon recapture with consideration given to the amount of time between the two events. Recapture data also contributes to understanding a species possible site or area fidelity, if tagged and recaptured in the
Tag & Release Competition Update
Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of May 28, 2020. If a category is missing, it’s because there haven’t been enough fish to qualify. The competition runs through October 31, 2020 and all entries must be in by November 15. Please remember that you are only eligible to receive an award if you are an active member of The Billfish Foundation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Blue Marlin Sailfish Swordfish Black Marlin Blue Marlin Sailfish
2019 Conservation Record
The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Program. We received over 11,000 new tag, release, and recapture records for billfish and tunas. These data are used by researchers and management organizations across the globe, helping us learn more about these great fish and how best to conserve them. Below is a link to a PDF of the final 2019 Conservation Record, including black marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, spearfish, striped marlin, swordfish, white marlin, bluefin tuna, and yellowfin tuna. 2019 Conservation Record Final This feat of citizen science would not be possible without the generous support of our Tag &
